Water - Borne Pathogens with Relation to Gastroenteritis

Water - Borne Pathogens with Relation to Gastroenteritis

Zajel / An-Najah National University

Adli Bassim Ibraheem Al-Kahah A total of two hundred drinking water samples were collected randomly from roof storage tanks, during the summer season from June to August 1999. The area of study includes three villages (Brugin, Farkha, and Kafr ad-Dik) in the district of Salfeet. Both the average total coliform counts and faecal coliform counts were used as indicators for water quality using the membrane filtration technique. Also water sample positive for coliform were further cultured for the isolation of Salmonella, Shigella, and E.coli 0157:H7. Both indicators gave average counts higher than that recommended as safe drinking water by the WHO. The average counts of total coliform (CFU/100ml) in spring water were 15.4, in rainwater 19.4, and zero in water network. The average counts of faecal coliform (CFU/100ml) in spring water were 9.4, in rainwater 11.4, and zero in the water network. These samples of the water network were free of contamination, while spring water and rainwater samples showed high contamination and Salmonella was isolated from spring water. Based on the average counts for both indicators, no significant variations were observed on the quality of drinking water in the studied villages. The degree of contamination based on total coliform counts in both spring and rain water was similar and the majority were with first degree of contamination according to the WHO classification, while all water network samples were free of contamination, (degree 0). Based on faecal coliform Exoli with respect to the risk levels, both spring and rain water were within low and intermediate risk levels according to WHO classification. The households with history of animal rising, external cisterns door, distance of septic tanks from cisterns less than 20m, and not cleaned cisterns seem to have further effect on the contamination and risk levels compared. to findings on households with no history of animal raising, internal cistern door, distance of septic tank from cistern more than 20m, and cistern cleaning every year. During the period from 14 August to 19 October 1999 about 102 of stool specimens were collected from patients with diarrhea at two Public Medical Units located on Bruqin & Kafr ad-Dik villages. Prevalence rates of encountered parasites were as follows: G. lamblia 10.8%, E. histolytica 17.3%, and H. nana 5%. The findings indicated very weak association between drinking water source and intestinal parasites in this study. Adli Bassim Ibraheem Al-Kahah Supervisors Dr. Yahya R. Faidy Dr. Suleiman Ai-Khalil February 2001