The downside of water is a thousand toxic things.

Water is an intermediate environment for transmitting diseases such as typhoid, acute diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, hepatitis, etc. Water can dissolve waste, toxic chemicals, radiation, carcinogens and then affect humans.

Talking about “Diseases related to water use” at the Center for Communication - Health Education of Ho Chi Minh City recently, Dr. Ngo Cao Lam, Center for Preventive Medicine of Ho Chi Minh City explained that water plays a very important role in the human body. Water is an important component in the body, in plasma and organs with a higher proportion. Water participates in the process of metabolism, ensuring the balance of electrolytes, and regulating body temperature.

Clean water can reduce the risk of kidney stones and remove toxins or waste in the human body. Drinking enough water also helps prevent viruses and bacteria from entering the body... Water provides the body with essential elements such as iodine, fluoride, manganese, zinc, iron, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, necessary for personal hygiene, social hygiene, fire fighting and production requirements.

According to Dr. Lam, on average a person needs 2-4 liters of water a day. People who do heavy work in hot weather need more. The amount of water absorbed to compensate for the amount of water excreted through the skin, lungs, kidneys, etc. Thirst is the first sign of dehydration.

The standard for drinking water quality is to ensure clarity, no color, no odor, no strange taste. Organic substances, inorganic substances, plant protection chemicals, disinfectants, etc. must be below the maximum allowable level. Microbiological standards must be ensured, meaning there are no bacteria commonly found in feces such as Ecoli and Cloliform bacteria.

Water can cause disease to humans directly and indirectly through direct contact when bathing, often due to chemicals and microorganisms in the water or used in eating and drinking. Then the water can be contaminated with microorganisms, contaminated with chemicals. Eating food contaminated with chemicals through the ecosystem or washing with contaminated water also has a high risk of causing disease.

The harm to human health caused by using contaminated water or chemically contaminated water can occur at levels such as chronic or acute illness, death or causing epidemics, causing genetic mutations..., affecting the development of the species.

Diseases caused by using contaminated water:

Gastrointestinal infection

Viral gastroenteritis: Usually lasts 24-72 hours with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. The disease occurs at all ages, most severe in young children and the elderly. When sick, dehydration and electrolyte imbalance can occur quickly and be life-threatening if not treated promptly.

Cholera: Classified as “extremely dangerous”. The disease is characterized by frequent loose stools, vomiting, rapid dehydration and electrolyte loss, cardiovascular collapse, exhaustion and death if not treated promptly. The disease can cause epidemics, often occurring in the summer, after major natural disasters and in places with poor sanitation, insufficient clean water supply, poor waste and waste disposal...

Typhoid fever: Is a systemic infection caused by Salmonella Typhi or Salmonella Patatyphi A, B, C. The disease is transmitted through the digestive tract and is clinically characterized by prolonged fever, causing many dangerous complications such as gastrointestinal bleeding, encephalitis, sepsis, etc. Most cases are caused by eating food carrying bacteria, drinking water contaminated with feces containing typhoid bacteria that is not cooked, or by eating raw food washed with water contaminated with typhoid bacteria.

Bacillary dysentery: Is an acute colitis caused by Shigella bacteria. The disease is transmitted through the digestive tract by the fecal-oral mechanism or from person to person or from dirty, contaminated hands, indirectly transmitted mainly through drinking water and food. In our country, drinking water is the leading intermediary for transmitting cholera and dysentery because it is not boiled before drinking...

Amoebic dysentery: Caused by the bacteria Etamoeba Histolytica. Lesions occur mainly in the colon (Amoebic dysentery) and can occur outside the colon such as Amoebic dysentery in the liver, lungs, brain, skin... Amoebic cysts infect humans through the digestive tract, through eating raw vegetables, drinking raw water...

Diarrhea caused by E.Coli: Usually caused by eating contaminated food or can be transmitted through water due to drinking water that has not been disinfected with chlorine... affecting the health and environment of the community.

There are also diseases such as hepatitis A, hepatitis B, polio, diarrhea caused by Rotavirus...

Worm disease

Diseases caused by roundworms, whipworms, pinworms, etc. are transmitted through water. Because feces containing worm larvae infect the water.meet favorable conditionsthen infected through humans. The disease is common in children, due to walking barefoot or playing on the ground... The larvae of these worms will penetrate the intestines, bile, brain, eyes... seriously affecting health.

Viral conjunctivitis

Adenoviruses, which play a role in conjunctivitis. These viruses have been implicated as the cause of conjunctivitis in public swimming pools.

Skin disease

Contaminated water contains pathogens that are dangerous to human skin. If you bathe in contaminated water, your skin will be infected with bacteria or viruses that cause itching. If you do not treat it and continue to use unclean water, the disease will get worse day by day. In the long run, it can cause cancer or even death.

Diseases caused by using water contaminated with chemicals

Some rivers or lakes contain acid rain, pesticides, industrial waste and microorganisms that live in the water that can be harmful to human health. Chlorine, a disinfectant in water can also cause eye and nose irritation. Other chemicals, if present in the water used, can also cause many diseases such as lead poisoning, mercury poisoning, cancer, and even death...

Prevent water-related diseases

- Paying attention to water treatment and disinfection plays an extremely important role in water plants. This contributes positively to preventing microorganisms from entering water sources, minimizing waterborne diseases, ensuring food hygiene and safety, and protecting water sources.

- To protect and save water resources, households should not exploit water or drill wells indiscriminately.

- Build and use hygienic toilets, especially in rural areas. Do not defecate indiscriminately in fields or in rivers, ponds, lakes...

- Raise awareness of environmental protection such as not littering or dumping waste indiscriminately.

- Need to pay more attention to using food sources, fresh vegetables, fruits of guaranteed quality, no pesticides.

- Vegetables and fruits should be washed under running water to remove worm eggs and contaminants. They should be cooked thoroughly and boiled...

- Wash your hands regularly and properly, especially before preparing food, before eating, and after using the toilet.

- Drink enough water, especially when the weather is hot, activities cause sweating, fever or diarrhea, thirst...

- Everyone must have regular health check-ups to detect and treat diseases promptly.

According to Vnexpress - PC