ADVANCEMENT OF THE SCIENCE
INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES/SPECIAL REPORT
Bacterial and Viral Pathogens in Drinking Water Sources in Pakistan: A Recent Perspective
Aiman Shahzadi, MPhil, DVM Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Veterinary Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan Muhammad Adnan Ashraf, DVM, PhD Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Veterinary Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan Bahar E. Mustafa, MPhil, DVM University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Sub Campus Toba Tek Singh, Pakistan Zian Asif, MPhil Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Veterinary Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan Furqan Awan, DVM, PhD Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Veterinary Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan Shahan Azeem, DVM, PhD Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Veterinary Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan (2,500), and Rawalpindi (1,322) (Finance Division, 2020). A high population density in megacities such as Karachi and Lahore, along with densely built houses, decreases the per capita availability of clean water. Likewise, people living in sparsely popu- lated areas in deserts do not have access to safe water. In some parts of the country, people—especially women—have to walk for several miles daily to get drinking water, and the water they retrieve is not potable (Talpur & Mari, 2021). Drinking nonpotable water increases the risk of waterborne diseases. Owing to the poor availability of safe water, Pakistan is listed in the Extremely High- Water Stress category by the World Resources Institute (Food and Agriculture Organiza- tion, 2021). Approximately 27.2 million people in Pakistan are drinking unsafe water and approximately 12.8 % of infant deaths in the country can be attributed to waterborne diseases (Government of Balochistan & UNI- CEF, 2018).
b89r(*9 Waterborne pathogens cause a serious threat to the overall health of people and the prosperity of a country. Pakistan has limited resources to sustain its increasing population. Because of socioeconomic factors, people tend to compromise on health safety standards. In Pakistan, waterborne diseases occur throughout the year, although the frequency usually increases after the monsoon season because rains provide a suitable environment for the growth of microorganisms that are causative agents of waterborne diseases. Contamination of drinking water with sewage, water flooding, and heavy rainfall are some important factors that can lead to waterborne diseases. Waterborne hepatitis, cholera, diarrhea, gastroenteritis, and typhoid are important diseases linked with water. Our article provides a recent overview of the frequency of waterborne pathogens in Pakistani water sources, outbreaks, and infections. The improper disposal of wastewater at the household and city levels increases the likelihood of these aforementioned diseases. Thus, there is a need to trace the origins of outbreaks in the Disease Early Warning System of Pakistan. Improvements in the treatment and filtration of drinking water, along with the awareness campaigns of vaccinations for common waterborne pathogens, are crucial for controlling these diseases in the country.
Introduction Water is an essential element for humans. An individual requires approximately 20–50 L of water per day for drinking, cooking, and other necessities of life. Approximately 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered with water. Freshwater resources are approximately 3% of the total water resources and 0.01% of freshwater is utilized for human consump- tion (Berner, 2023). Waterborne diseases pose a major threat to public health in many developing countries, including Pakistan. Many developing countries face water scar- city due to the decrease in surface water and groundwater, which has led to increased use of unsafe water (Azfar et al., 2017). The con- sumption of unsafe water is one of the major constraints to the health and productivity of humans living in developing countries.
Currently, the population of Pakistan is estimated to be 240 million with an aver- age density of 312 people per km 2 (Worl- dometer, 2023). Approximately 53% of the population lives in Punjab Province, 23% in Sindh Province, 15% in Khyber Pakh- tunkhwa Province, 6% in Balochistan Prov- ince, 2% in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and 1% in the capital city of Islamabad. The densely populated Pun- jab Province covers only 26% of the area of Pakistan. Overall, three out of the four top densely populated cities—Lahore, Fais- alabad, and Rawalpindi—are also located in Punjab. Karachi, however, is the most pop- ulous city in the country and is located in Sindh. The population density per km 2 for these cities is provided in parentheses: Kara- chi (24,000), Lahore (6,300), Faisalabad
24
Volume 86 • Number 4
Powered by FlippingBook