Air and Water Borne Pathogens

AIR BORNE PATHOGENS

Table A: Some important diseases of humans transmitted from person to person by inhaled airborne particles

Virus diseases (virus type in brackets)	Bacterial diseases (bacterial name in brackets)
Chickenpox (Varicella)	Whooping cough (Bordetella pertussis)
Flu (Influenza)	Meningitis (Neisseria species)
Measles (Rubeola)	Diphtheria (Corynebacterium diphtheriae)
German measles (Rubella)	Pneumonia (Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Streptococcus species)
Mumps (Mumps)	Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium tuberculosis)
Smallpox (Variola)

Table B: Several other diseases, below, are acquired by inhaling particles from environmental sources, not directly from an infected person.

Disease	Source
Psittacosis (Chlamydia psittaci)	Dried, powdery droppings from infected birds (parrots, pigeons, etc.)
Legionnaire's disease (Legionella pneumophila)	Droplets from air-conditioning systems, water storage tanks, etc., where the bacterium grows.
Acute allergic alveolitis (various fungal and actinomycete spores)	Fungal or Actinomycetes spores from decomposing organic matter (composts, grain stores, hay, etc.)
Aspergillosis (Aspergillus fumigatus, A. flavus, A. niger)	Fungal spores inhaled from decomposing organic matter
Histoplasmosis (Histoplasma capsulatum)	Spores of the fungus, in old, weathered bat or bird droppings
Coccidioidomycosis (Coccidioides immitis)	Spores in air-blown dust in desert regions (Central, South and North America) where the fungus grows in the soil

WATER BORNE PATHOGENS

Protozoal

Disease and Transmission	Microbial Agent	Sources of Agent in Water Supply
Amoebiasis (hand-to-mouth)	Protozoan (Entamoeba histolytica) (Cyst-like appearance)	Sewage, non-treated drinking water, flies in water supply
Cryptosporidiosis(oral)	Protozoan (Cryptosporidium parvum)	Collects on water filters and membranes that cannot be disinfected, animal manure, seasonal runoff of water.
Cyclosporiasis	Protozoan parasite (Cyclospora cayetanensis)	Sewage, non-treated drinking water
Giardiasis (fecal-oral) (hand-to-mouth)	Protozoan (Giardia lamblia) Most common intestinal parasite	Untreated water, poor disinfection, pipe breaks, leaks, groundwater contamination, campgrounds where humans and wildlife use same source of water. Beavers and muskrats create ponds that act as reservoirs for Giardia.
Microsporidiosis	Protozoan phylum (Microsporidia), but closely related to fungi	Encephalitozoon intestinalis has been detected in groundwater, the origin of drinking water [6]

Parasitic

Disease and species	Microbial Agent	Sources of Agent in Water Supply
Schistosomiasis (immersion)	Members of the genusSchistosoma	Fresh water contaminated with certain types of snails that carryschistosomes
Dracunculiasis (Guinea Worm Disease)	Dracunculus medinensis	Stagnant water containing larvae, generally in parasitised Copepoda
Taeniasis	Tapeworms of the genusTaenia	Drinking water contaminated with eggs
Fasciolopsiasis	Fasciolopsis buski	Drinking water contaminated with encysted metacercaria
Hymenolepiasis (Dwarf Tapeworm Infection)	Hymenolepis nana	Drinking water contaminated with eggs
Echinococcosis (Hydatid disease)	Echinococcus granulosus	Drinking water contaminated with feces (usually canid) containing eggs
Ascariasis	Ascaris lumbricoides	Drinking water contaminated with feces (usually canid) containing eggs
Enterobiasis	Enterobius vermicularis	Drinking water contaminated with eggs

Bacterial

Disease and Transmission	Microbial Agent	Sources of Agent in Water Supply
Botulism	Clostridium botulinum	Bacteria can enter an open wound from contaminated water sources. Can enter the gastrointestinal tract through consumption of contaminated drinking water or (more commonly) food
Campylobacteriosis	Most commonly caused by Campylobacter jejuni	Drinking water contaminated with feces
Cholera	Spread by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae	Drinking water contaminated with the bacterium
E. coli Infection	Certain strains of Escherichia coli  (commonly E. coli)	Water contaminated with the bacteria
M. marinum infection	Mycobacterium marinum	Naturally occurs in water, most cases from exposure in swimming pools or more frequently aquariums; rare infection since it mostly infects immunocompromised individuals
Dysentery	Caused by a number of species in the genera Shigella and Salmonella with the most common being Shigella dysenteriae	Water contaminated with the bacterium
Legionellosis (two distinct forms: Legionnaires' disease and Pontiac fever)	Caused by bacteria belonging to genus Legionella (90% of cases caused by Legionella pneumophila)	Contaminated water: the organism thrives in warm aquatic environments.
Leptospirosis	Caused by bacterium of genus Leptospira	Water contaminated by the animal urine carrying the bacteria
Otitis Externa (swimmer's ear)	Caused by a number of bacterial and fungal species.	Swimming in water contaminated by the responsible pathogens
Salmonellosis	Caused by many bacteria of genus Salmonella	Drinking water contaminated with the bacteria. More common as a food borne illness.
Typhoid fever	Salmonella typhi	Ingestion of water contaminated with feces of an infected person
Vibrio Illness	Vibrio vulnificus, Vibrio alginolyticus, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus	Can enter wounds from contaminated water. Also acquired by drinking contaminated water or eating undercooked oysters.