International School of Asia and the Pacific – Kalinga
College of Pharmacy
Public Health with Pharmacoepidemiology
Activity 5
Human Ecology: Waterborne Diseases
Name: _______________________________
Deadline of submission: May 29, 2023 (Individual work)
June 05, 2023 (Group work)
Introduction
Typhoons and heavy rains cause flooding which, in turn, can potentially increase the
transmission of water-borne diseases, or diseases transmitted through water contaminated with
human or animal waste. These include typhoid fever, cholera, leptospirosis, and hepatitis A.
Typhoid fever (enteric fever) is an infectious disease which is caused by species of Salmonella.
It spreads through contaminated food and water or through close contact with someone is
infected.
Cholera is an intestinal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with Vibrio
cholerae. The infection causes a profuse, painless, watery diarrhea that can quickly lead to
severe dehydration and death if treatment is not promptly given. In extreme cases, cholera is
rapidly deadly disease. A healthy individual may die within 2-3 hours if no treatment is provided.
Hepatitis A infection, one of the oldest diseases known to humankind, is an infectious disease
caused by Hepatitis A virus (HAV). The most common mode of transmission is ingestion of food
or water contaminated with human waste and urine of persons who have Hepatitis A.
Water is a necessity for human existence. Drinking water should be in adequate supply and safe,
free of pollutants, especially by pathogenic organisms.
Activity
A. Individual Work
Leptospirosis as a Public Health Problem and Ecological Problem
Read through a news article on leptospirosis, sourced from Rappler News (July 02, 2018), and
answer the questions accordingly regarding this case.
DOH Records 60% Increase in Leptospirosis Cases in NCR
Increases cases. Health Secretary Duque says the Department of Health is prepared
to handle the increased number of leptospirosis cases.
MANILA, Philippines – Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III on Monday, July 2 said his agency
has recorded a 60% increase in leptospirosis cases and 38 fatalities in the National Capital Region
as of July 1.
Duque admitted the spike in cases was alarming for the Department of Health (DOH). “The fact
na may namamatay is cause for alarm. Yung nakakalungkot lang dito is this is a preventable
disease for as long as everyone does his part”, he said.
Duque said the highest number of cases were recorded in the following cities:
Quezon City – 87 cases
Manila – 25 cases
Taguig – 20 cases
Paranaque – 18 cases
Caloocan – 18 cases
Pasig – 10 cases
Las Pinas – 10 cases
Nationwide, the DOH also recorded a 41% increase, with 1,040 leptospirosis cases recorded as of
June 16, 2018.
Why the spike in cases? Duque said the factors that contributed to the rise in cases were the
continuous heavy rains and poor garbage collection in barangay. “Recently, we’ve had
uninterrupted weeks of continuous heavy downpour and flooding in the metropolis and also parts
of Visayas and Mindanao. That is the number one attribution and all the more we should be
careful,” Duque said.
He added, “There is poor garbage collection in the metropolis. We have to remind our LGUs to
step up with the enforcement of garbage collection and other related preventive measures”.
What is the DOH doing about it? In response to the rise in leptospirosis cases, Duque said
the DOH has given the National Kidney and Transplant Institute about P5 million to treat
patients. The money, he said, will be used to supply medicines and medical supplies, such as
Doxycycline – which is used to treat the disease – ad cot beds, among others.
Duque also urged LGUs to enforce strict and regular garbage collection and to drain potentially
contaminated waters. LGUs should also report cases and strengthen information campaigns on
leptospirosis to ensure residents are informed of the disease and its symptoms.
Meanwhile, Duque said the DOH is also pre-positioning medicines to regions nationwide to
respond to the increase in number of patients with leptospirosis. – [Link]
Questions
Part I. Answer the following questions based on the news article.
1. Where do Leptospirosis appear to originate?
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2. What might be the cause of this spike in leptospirosis cases?
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3. Which part of NCR has the greatest number of recorded cases? List probable reasons.
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4. Which part of NCR has the least number of recorded cases? List probable reasons.
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5. Check the pattern of leptospirosis in NCR for the past 5 years (visit DOH website), what is your
observation?
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6. What is the DOH doing to combat leptospirosis?
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7. What are some recommendations that you might have for the DOH to continue fighting this
public health problem and for preventing future outbreaks?
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Part II. Characteristics of Leptospirosis
1. What causes leptospirosis?
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2. What are the signs and symptoms of leptospirosis?
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3. Who might get leptospirosis and how might they get it?
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4. How do you tests for leptospirosis in a patient?
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5. How do you treat patients who have leptospirosis?
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6. What are ways to prevent and control this infection?
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B. Group Work
Each group of students will identify a community and work on the following objectives: (1)
identify the community’s sources of drinking water, (2) collect drinking water samples from those
sources, (3) test the safety of their drinking water, and (4) create a health promotion material on
safe drinking water and waterborne diseases.
Procedure 1: Identification of Sources of Drinking Water
1. Visit the identified community and ask households regarding their source of drinking water.
2. Possible sources of drinking water in a community are the following:
a) Open wells
b) Covered drug wells with hand-pumps
c) Faucet or tap water
d) Bottled water
Procedure 2: collection of Drinking Water Samples
1. Collect samples from the four samples listed in Procedure 1.
2. Keep in mind the following guidelines for collecting water samples:
a) Wash your hands with soap and warm water
b) Let water run constantly for at least 2 minutes before you collect the sample (if from
faucet/hand-pump)
c) Take the sample from the source using a sterile bottle (about 200 mL)
d) Label the samples accordingly.
Source of drinking water
Address of household
Date and time the sample was collected
Name of person who collected the sample
e) Samples must be brought and processed in the laboratory within 2 hours after
collection
f) If processing is not possible within 2 hours, refrigerate samples or place them in a
transport container packed with ice
Laboratory Report
Drinking Water Samples Growth on Plates Interpretation
1. Open wells
2. Covered dug wells with
hand-pumps
3.
3. Faucet or tap water
4. Bottled water
Which water samples contain the coliform E. coli?
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Which water samples do not contain the coliform E. coli?
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Based on these results, formulate your conclusion.
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Procedure 4: Create a health promotion material
1. The group will decide which form of health promotional material (video, poster, fact sheets,
etc) will be created to educate the community on safe drinking and waterborne diseases
2. Present your work to the class.
