Table 1.1 Waterborne pathogens and their significance in water supplies
Pathogen
Health
significance
Persistence in
water
supplies
Resistance
to chlorine
Relative
infectivity
Important
animal
source
Bacteria
Burkholderia
pseudomallei
H
May multiply Low
Low
No
Campylobacter jejuni,
C. coli
H
Moderate
Low
Moderate Yes
Escherichia coli –
Pathogenic
H
Moderate
Low
Low
Yes
E. coli –
Enterohemorrhagic
H
Moderate
Low
High
Yes
Legionella sp.
H
May multiply Low
Moderate No
Non-tuberculous
mycobacteria
L
May multiply High
Low
No
Pseudomonas
aeruginosa
Moderate
May multiply Moderate
Low
No
Salmonella typhi
High
Moderate
Low
Low
No
Other salmonellae
High
May multiply Low
Low
Yes
Shigella sp.
High
Short
Low
High
No
Vibrio cholerae
High
Short to long Low
Low
No
Yersinia enterocolitica
High
Long
Low
Low
Yes
Viruses
Adenoviruses
High
Long
Moderate
High
No
Enteroviruses
High
Long
Moderate
High
No
Astroviruses
High
Long
Moderate
High
No
Hepatitis viruses
High
Long
Moderate
High
No
Hepatitis E viruses
High
Long
Moderate
High
Potentially
Noroviruses
High
Long
Moderate
High
Potentially
Sapoviruses
High
Long
Moderate
High
Potentially
Rotavirus
High
Long
Moderate
High
No
Protozoa
Acanthamoeba sp.
High
May multiply Low
High
No
Cryptosporidium
parvum
High
Long
High
High
Yes
Cyclosporacayetanensis High
Long
High
High
No
Entamoebahistolytica
High
Moderate
High
High
No
Giardia intestinalis
High
Moderate
High
High
Yes
Naegleriafowleri
High
May multiply Low
Moderate No
Toxoplasma gondii
High
Long
High
High
Yes
Helminths
Dracunculusmedinensis High
Moderate
Moderate
High
No
Schistosoma sp.
High
Short
Moderate
High
Yes
Table Source: https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/gdwqrevision/watpathogens.pdf
1 Microbial Contamination of Drinking Water
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