L'eau

Quel bonheur que de pouvoir plonger dans le lac, en toute sécurité sanitaire (la trichobillarziose ne sévit plus). On comprend encore plus aisement combien les problèmes d'assainissement et d'hygiène de l'eau sont imortant dans le monde. Près d'une maladie sur dix et de 6 % des décès chaque année dans le monde, ont pour origine une mauvaise qualité de l'eau (rapport de l'OMS).

dont voilà quelques extraits - encore un peu d'exercice de lecture en anglais - :

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Intestinal nematode infections

2 billion infections—affecting one third of the world’s population—that could be prevented Transmission of intestinal nematode infections, such as ascariasis, trichuriasis and hookworm, occurs through soil contaminated with faeces. It is entirely preventable by adequate sanitation, and intervention outcomes are reinforced by good hygiene. In our estimates, the burden caused by intestinal nematode infections is, therefore, entirely attributable to inadequate sanitation facilities and related lack of hygiene. Lymphatic filariasis 25 million seriously incapacitated people In Asia and the Americas, lymphatic filariasis is transmitted by mosquito vectors breeding in water polluted by organic material, and its distribution is therefore linked to urban and periurban areas. In Africa, where Anopheles mosquitoes are the main vector, its distribution coincides in part with that of malaria and may be linked to irrigation development. Lymphatic filariasis also occurs in some of the Pacific island states. Globally, 66% of the disease is attributable to unsafe water, inadequate sanitation or insufficient hygiene. Trachoma Visual impairments in 5 million people that could have been prevented Trachoma is a contagious eye disease that can result in blindness. It is transmitted primarily as a result of inadequate hygiene, and transmission can be reduced by facial cleanliness, access to safe water, adequate sanitation facilities and fly control. In practice, the burden caused by blinding trachoma can be almost fully attributed to unsafe water, inadequate sanitation or insufficient hygiene. Schistosomiasis 200 million people with preventable infections Schistosomiasis is caused by contact with water bodies contaminated with the excreta of infected people and is therefore fully attributable to unsafe water, inadequate sanitation or insufficient hygiene. Its distribution is linked to the distribution of the aquatic snails that are the intermediate hosts of the parasitic trematode flatworms. Along with snail control, the provision of safe water and sanitary facilities would limit infective water contact and contamination of the environment and greatly reduce the incidence of this disease. Patient with lymphatic filariasis. Pondicherry, India. Face hygiene prevents trachoma, a widespread cause of blindness. Malaria Half a million preventable deaths annually The transmission of malaria varies widely over space and time. In some places, where mosquito vectors have specific ecological breeding requirements, transmission of malaria can be interrupted by reducing vector habitats—mainly by eliminating stagnant water bodies, modifying the contours of reservoirs, introducing drainage or improving the management of irrigation schemes. Owing to the variations in vector habitats, the fraction of malaria that could be eliminated through managing the environment varies across regions, with a global average of 42%. Drowning 280 000 preventable deaths annually Drowning can be avoided by improving the safety of water bodies or containers and their access, including through information, education and regulations. Improvements can be related to recreational environments, transportation on waterways, drinkingwater storage, flood control, etc. It is estimated that 72%3 of drownings could be avoided through environmental and behavioural modifications and regulations, equivalent to 280 000 deaths annually. “Near drowning” is a significant public health concern not reflected in these statistics. Bathing, Saudi Arabia. Other quantifiable diseases Dengue, Japanese encephalitis and onchocerciasis, also linked to water resource development and management, together cause 31 000 deaths per year worldwide. Dengue, which is an acute infectious disease caused by the dengue virus and transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitoes, can be reduced by eliminating small water collectors (including water containers, tanks and drums) and solid waste (such as old tyres) around the home and in the community. Japanese encephalitis, a viral disease that is transmitted by mosquitoes and in humans causes inflammation of the membranes around the brain, can be reduced by better irrigation, water management and eliminating access of mosquito vectors to pigs. The impact of water resource development and management on onchocerciasis—a disease caused by a parasitic worm and transmitted through the bites of infected blackflies—is more complex, as one would need to interfere with the natural environment, such as streams. The considered water resource development and management options are therefore limited to human-made hydraulic infrastructures such as barrages (similar to dams), upstream from the rapids where blackflies breed.

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