Although wilderness water may appear to be clean and safe to drink, it is likely that ingesting it will result in illness caused by such pathogens as bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and parasites. Other methods of disease transmission include contact with the skin or mucous, the inhalation of aerosolized water, the ingestion of food, skin/soft-tissue or eye injury, the bite of insects, and human-to-human contact.

This report documents the factors that determine the risk of contracting a waterborne illness and explains that knowledge of the source of water exposure, length of symptoms, and incubation period for diseases will greatly assist in making an accurate diagnosis. A table presents some of the more common pathogens and their mode of transmission and symptoms.

Also presented are methods for disinfecting water found in the wilderness, including their advantages and disadvantages. For example, boiling water is the most reliable method of destroying pathogens; however, it is inconvenient and time consuming. In addition, chlorine dioxide is effective against all microorganisms, but to date this method has not been adequately tested in the field.

It is important that those involved in wilderness activities be knowledgeable about pathogens, waterborne disease symptoms, and methods of water disinfection in order to minimize the risk of contracting a waterborne illness.

The article is “Wild Water Everywhere, But Is It Safe to Drink (or Play in)? Better Safe Than on the Run from Waterborne Illnesses in the Wild” by Nancy Pietroski, PharmD. The article appears in Wilderness Medicine, Summer 2008 Issue, published by Allen Press.

Full text of the article is available at www.allenpress.com.