Water-borne Pathogens
This page lists water-borne pathogens commonly found in a community water supply. These pathogens are sterilized by the drinking water purification system installed by volunteers from Clean Water For The World.
Data on this page provided by Brandon Neblett.
| VIRUSES | Diseases | Symptoms |
| Enteroviruses | polio, coxsackie, and echoviruses | respiratory illness, meningitis, diarrhea, encephalitis, paralytic disease |
| Hepatitis A virus | Hepatitis A | fever, malaise, jaundice, anorexia, nausea |
| Norovirus | Gastroenteritis | acute gastroenteritis |
| Rotaviruses | Viral gastroenteritis | acute gastroenteritis |
| BACTERIA | Disease | Symptoms |
| Campylobacter jejuni | Gastroenteritis | acute gastroenteritis, possible Guillain-Barre syndrome, possible reactive arthritis |
| E. coli | Gastroenteritis | watery diarrhea |
| E. coli O157:H7 | Severe gastro- intestinal illness | watery, then bloody diarrhea; vomiting, possible hemolytic uremic syndrome |
| Legionellae | Legionellosis | Legionnaire’s disease: pneumonia with anorexia, headache, chills, cough, chest pain, and diarrhea Pontiac fever: fever, chills, muscle pain |
| Pseudomonas | Bacterial pneumonia | Dermatitis, ear infections, eye infections |
| Salmonellae | Typhoid fever (enteric fever) | loose, watery diarrhea; possible reactive arthritis |
| Shigellae | Shigellosis (bacillary dysentry) | dysentery with fever; possible reactive arthritis |
| Vibrio cholerae | Cholera | profuse, watery diarrhea, vomiting, rapid dehydration |
| PARASITES | Disease | Symptoms |
| Cryptosporidium | Cryptosporidiosis | profuse, watery diarrhea |
| Entamoeba | Amoebiasis | abdominal pain, occasional mucoid or bloody diarrhea |
| Giardia lamblia | Giardiasis | abdominal pain, bloating; loose, pale, greasy stools |
| Naegleria | Primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) | meningoencephalitis, headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, usually fatal |