Present status and effective control measure of water-borne infectious diseases in Korea

수인성 전염병의 현황 및 효율적 관리

Water- borne infectious diseases can be acquired by contact with contaminated water or by ingestion of contaminated water. There are many water- borne infectious agents such as bacteria, virus, and parasite. Among many of water- borne infectious diseases, health authorities of Korean government has particularly intensified to prevent and control typhoid fever(class I ), shigellosis(class I ), cholera(class I ), paratyphoid fever(class I), amebiasis(class II ) and leptospirosis(euivalent to class II ) under the communicable disease control law. Water- borne disease Prevention and control guideline itself has been also well provided by the health authorities. However, in practical public health point of view, there are still many problems remained to be solved out; no prospective investigation project to survey water borne infectious diseases under the national disease prevention and control programmes, incredible statistic data of annual notifiable disease report frequent appearance and varieties of drug resistance water- borne infectious agents, little cooperation and information- exchange system in between the related government authorities( the health authorities, the environment sanitation authorities and the food hygiene authorities) which should be closely collaborated, lack of health consciousness of the people, necessity of evaluation and Hndification on to the outcomes of performed health activities and programmes, neglect activities for water quality investigation, shortage of expertise and human resources in the related field, and poor investment of the government budget to develope and improve public health and sanitation field. In order to prevent and control water- borne infectious diseases effectively, it is emphasized that all the above indicated should be considered and performed to improve under the national health and sanitation development programmes.