Who is Most Susceptible to Diarrhea Caused by Contaminants in Drinking Water?
In the U.S. and other developed countries, drinking water disinfection has dramatically reduced gastrointestinal infections from such waterborne pathogens as cholera and typhoid. However, waterborne disease still occurs, usually because of a breach in the water treatment system or because pathogens that are insensitive to disinfection, like Cryptosporidia, enter the water supply. Certain populations are at greater risk of diarrheal disease from waterborne pathogens. These include the elderly, infants and young children, and individuals with severely weakened immune systems, such as AIDS patients, patients undergoing certain types of chemotherapy, and those who have recently received organ transplants. Children In the years between 1979 and 1992, diarrhea contributed to 12% of U.S. hospitalizations of children one month through four years of age (3). Infectious diarrhea is uncommon in newborns, though it can be deadly in this age group. Infants who are bottle-fed may be particularly at
