What disease only affects humans and is spread by fecal contamination?

Answer 1

Human excreta and the lack of adequate personal and domestic hygiene have been implicated in the transmission of many Infectious Diseases including cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, polio, cryptosporidiosis, ascariasis, and schistosomiasis. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 2.2 million people die annually from diarrhoeal diseases and that 10% of the population of the developing world are severely infected with intestinal worms related to improper waste and excreta management (Murray and Lopez 1996; WHO 2000a). Human excreta-transmitted diseases predominantly affect children and the poor. Most of the deaths due to diarrhoea occur in children and in developing countries (WHO 1999).

Proper excreta disposal and minimum levels of personal and domestic hygiene are essential for protecting public health. Safe excreta disposal and handling act as the primary barrier for preventing excreted pathogens from entering the environment. Once pathogens have been introduced into the environment they can be transmitted via either the mouth (e.g. through drinking :

cutt.ly/rjgmZ1z

contaminated water or eating contaminated vegetables/food) or the skin (as in the case of the hookworms and schistosomes), although in many cases adequate personal and domestic hygiene can reduce such transmission. Excreta and wastewater generally contain high concentrations of excreted pathogens, especially in countries where diarrhoeal diseases and intestinal parasites are particularly prevalent. Therefore for maximum health protection, it is important to treat and contain human excreta as close to the source as possible before it gets introduced into the environment.

Answer 2

typhoid fever