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RESEARCH: Thomas Clasen, Wolf-Peter Schmidt, Tamer Rabie, Ian Roberts, and Sandy Cairncross Interventions to improve water quality for preventing diarrhoea: systematic review and meta-analysis BMJ 2007; 334: 782 [Abstract] [Full text]

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Quality water for preventing diarrhoea.

Celine Aranjo   (15 April 2007)

Quality water for preventing diarrhoea. 15 April 2007
Celine Aranjo, Senior G.P. Australia, 2208 Send response to journal: Re: Quality water for preventing diarrhoea.	Dear Dr Clasen et al. This detailed epidemiological article of 10 pages is very informative and deserves commendation. However, it has not listed comprehensively the diseases that cause diarrhoea. The fraternity of medical doctors seem to assume these to be chemicals, bacteria, viruses and protozoal parasites,as mentioned by Hugh Mann's rapid response (14 April 2007)'What's wrong with tap water?' For some reason, the helminthic parasites that also cause diarrhoea have been ignored,and this could lead to potentially serious morbidity and mortality especially since Schistosomiasis is not formally included in Water-borne diseases due to cercarial/snail infected water which is indirectly associated with pollution from infected human/animal urine and/or feces. I'd like to make the point that other helminth parasites are not usually 'water-borne'rather 'food borne', a.s.o.but the exception is Schistosomiasis. Competing interests: None declared