1. Microbiological Indicators of Well Water Pollution and the Probability of Cholera Outbreaks and other Diseases: The case of some Neighbourhoods in the City of Douala Cameroon.
- Author
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Epule, Epule Terence and Sounders, Balgah
- Abstract
This study focuses on the role of ground water obtained through wells in the out breaks of diseases such as Cholera, Typhoid, Dysentery and Diarrhoea in Bepanda, Nylon, Makepe and Bonassama, neighbourhoods of Douala, Cameroon. Generally, the study has shown that well water is the most important source of water to the indigenes of the study matrix. Specifically, the study has analyzed the role of the poverty levels of the people in the occurrence of the above diseases and most importantly, chemically identified the presence Vibrio Cholerae, sucrose fermenting organisms, non sucrose fermenting organisms, Gram positive and Gram negative organisms that serve as indicators of poor well water quality and sources of outbreaks of Cholera and other diseases. Primary data for this study was obtained through field work in which one hundred questionnaires were administered in groups of 25 for each of the four neighbourhoods involved. These were structured to give tendencies of the income levels of the indigenes which served as indicators of poverty levels. Low income groups were therefore considered as poorer and were more exposed to using well water and consequently they were more exposed to these diseases. The higher income groups on the other hand made less use of well water and were least affected since they had alternative sources of water. Furthermore, the microbiological characteristics of the wells were obtained through the collection of 40 well water samples, 10 for each neighbourhood. The questionnaires were analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) and the spearman's rank correlation statistical tool. The SPSS balkanized the data into the number of people in different income groups and number of people who have had an experience with or bad had cholera, Dysentery, Diarrhoea and skin diseases due to use of well water. The spearman's rank correlation was then used to analyze the relationship between poverty levels and Cholera since it represents the most recurrent and most dangerous disease among the others. The 40 water samples were taken to the microbiology laboratory of the University of Buea and analyzed for Vibrio Cholerae, Sucrose fermenting organisms, on Sucrose fermenting organisms, Grain positive and Gram negative organisms that serve as indicators of well water contamination. The results from this study indicate that well water is a major source of water for the people living in the study matrix, Furthermore, a significant positive correlation between poverty levels and cholera out breaks in Douala was obtained. This means that very poor people with very low incomes are more likely to be affected by the diseases above since they do not have access to good quality water, on the other hand, people with high incomes are said to belong to lower poverty levels and are less likely to be affected by Cholera and other diseases. Microbiological analysis of well water samples shows that out of the 40 wells two in Nylon, one in Bonassama and one in Bepanda tested positive for Vibrio. Some wells had Sucrose fermenting organisms, some had Non sucrose fermenting organisms, others showed the presence of Gram positive organisms and others Gram negative organisms. The general implication of these results is that the quality of water in most wells in Douala does not meet international standards and the wells remain potential sources of future cholera out breaks as well as the out break of other diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008