Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Concerned over the samples of contaminated water found from Subhash Nagar and Clerk Colony areas, the health department officials have dashed off a letter to Indore Municipal Corporation to take immediate steps to find out the source of contamination.
Health department had taken over 10 potable water samples from Subhash Nagar and Clerk Colony areas after finding over 10 cases of acute diarrheal disease (ADD), suspected to be cholera. Surprisingly all the samples were found contaminated with the bacterium vibrio cholerae which causes cholera infection, salmonella which causes diarrhea, and proteus mirabilis bacteria which can be the reason of urinary tract infection, gastroenteritis, and other diseases.
“After learning about the cases of ADD in different places in Subhash Nagar and Clerk Colony areas, we had taken water samples and sent them for testing to district public health laboratory as the patients didn’t have any travel history or any diet history of consuming adulterated food which meant that the infection had come through contaminated water,” integrated diseases surveillance programme Dr Amit Malakar said.
He said that they have dashed off a letter to IMC for the same and also had a word with the officials asking them to take immediate action as it seems that some sewage line is mixed with a source of potable water supply. Meanwhile, we are continuously running door-to-door surveys in Clerk Colony and Subhash Nagar area for screening people to find any new suspected cases along with distributing the medicines,” the IDSP in-charge said.
Cholera report pending, patients discharged
Dr Malakar said that all the patients admitted to the hospitals due to acute diarrheal disease have been discharged from the hospitals as they have recovered.
However, the health department has failed in confirming the cases of cholera and termed it ADD as the DPHL couldn’t give them a report of the cases.
“ADD was already confirmed in the patients and we are waiting for the report for confirmation of cholera,” the IDSP in-charge said.
Vibrio cholerae, proteus mirabilis found in water samples
Vibrio Cholerae: a bacterium called Vibrio cholerae causes cholera infection. The deadly effects of the disease are the result of a toxin the bacteria produces in the small intestine. The toxin causes the body to secrete enormous amounts of water, leading to diarrhea and a rapid loss of fluids and salts (electrolytes).
Proteus mirabilis: Proteus mirabilis is a common pathogen responsible for complicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) that sometimes causes bacteremia.
