A Literature Review of Waterborne Outbreaks in the Last Decade in Türkiye

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate the studies in the literature on waterborne outbreaks in the last decade. The literature was reviewed using the words "waterborne outbreak, outbreak investigation, Turkey and water" with PubMed, Google Scholar, and TR Index databases for the years 2010-2020. The 14 articles suitable for the outbreak review were reached and evaluated regarding the significant results. The responsible agents were determined as Norovirus in six studies, F. Tularensis in four, Shigella spp. in two, Rotavirus in one, and polymicrobial factors in one. In these outbreaks, 51,802 people were affected. Studies were descriptive, case-control, and retrospective cohort. The years with the highest number of outbreaks were 2014 (n=4) and 2010 (n=3). The largest outbreak was a Norovirus outbreak in the Elbistan district of Kahramanmaras, where 34,490 people were affected. In these outbreaks, 641 people received inpatient treatment, while no deaths were reported. In five of the outbreaks, the spots where the water was contaminated were detected, while they were not detected in nine. Failures in the water supply network, the lack of water tanks per the legislation, and the lack of chlorination for different reasons were determined to have caused waterborne outbreaks. Continuous water disinfection, overhauling non-compliance water tanks, timely maintenance and replacement of water networks, and strengthening communication between the institution responsible for water disinfection and health institutions can prevent waterborne outbreaks that could become a significant public health problem. © 2023 Ondokuz Mayis Universitesi. All rights reserved.