Parasites in flood water

• April 28, 2024

One of the main problems caused by rain disasters is the lack of availability of drinking water, which has a series of health consequences, because often, the available water is contaminated, says Dr. Raúl Romero, infectious disease specialist. of the General Hospital of Mexico.

Water can be contaminated by two sources. The first is to pick up what you take on your way, which can have microorganisms such as bacteria, parasites and viruses . The other source is that in a flood often the water of the drainage is stirred with the drinking water, the safety of consuming clean water is reduced.

"Not only is there a risk in water consumption, but water is also used to wash utensils and prepare food, but if it is polluted It is a risk and people should make sure that the water used for these tasks is clean, "says the specialist.

The diseases that cause most problems in the population are the parasitic ones, in less propensity the viral ones, which are usually organisms that are found in the fecal matter. They can cause diseases such as amebiasis and the giardiasis , or bacterial problems such as cholera and diarrheal processes.

"Skin problems such as dermatoses occur, but to a lesser extent, but the most transcendental occurs in function of digestive tract activities and gastrointestinal processes that usually end in diarrhea," says Dr. Romero. So he recommends that when you start to experiment abdominal pain , fever, discomfort in general, decreased stool consistency or diarrhea go to the doctor immediately so that the affected person receives an optimal treatment depending on the agent that is considered.

"The prevention is the most important issue "The specialist in infectology emphasizes," It should be avoided that serious illnesses are reached, by not using water without boiling beforehand or by means of products that guarantee the potability of the water "

Video Medicine: Body Thief - Parasites in the Water (April 2024).