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Abstract:
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Contamination of environmental water by pathogenic microorganisms and subsequent
infections originated from such sources during different contact and non- contact
recreational activities are a major public health problem worldwide particularly in
developing countries. The main pathogen frequently associated with enteric infection in
developing countries are Salmonella enterica serovar typhi and paratyphi. Although the
natural habitat of Salmonella is the gastrointestinal tract of animals, it find its way into
natural water through faecal contamination and are frequently identified from various
aquatic environments (Baudart et al., 2000; Dionisio et al., 2000; Martinez -Urtaza et al., 2004.,
Abhirosh et al., 2008). Typhoid fever caused by S. enterica serotype typhi and paratyphi are a
common infectious disease occurring in all the parts of the world with its highest
endemicity in certain parts of Asia, Africa, Latin America and in the Indian subcontinent
with an estimated incidence of 33 million cases each year with significant morbidity and
mortality (Threlfall, 2002). In most cases the disease is transmitted by polluted water (Girard
et al., 2006) because of the poor hygienic conditions, inadequate clean water supplies and
sewage treatment facilities. However in developed countries the disease is mainly associated
with food (Bell et al., 2002) especially shellfish (Heinitz et al., 2000 |