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Diseases transmitted by the consumption of poor quality water

Abstract:

Access to safe water is an important health and development issue at the national, regional and local levels. There are currently multiple methodologies to detect microbial contamination of water. The objective of the present investigation is to evaluate the diseases transmitted by the consumption of contaminated water in the Chapos village of the Tulcán Canton in Ecuador, in order to propose a form of water treatment at home. This study was supported by Participatory Action Research, which allowed us to work directly with 80 families in the community. An explanatory descriptive study was carried out with a systemic approach in which family records were analyzed. They made it possible to consider as bioindicators, in addition to the bacteria and protozoa established in the standard, some microbial agents such as viruses and parasites. A bacteriological study of the water was carried out and the quality was subsequently improved by chlorinating the water at home. Water is a scarce resource of great importance for health that, however, is beyond the control of health authorities and becomes the vehicle for the transmission of diseases.