Unseen danger in the water: Be wary of water-borne diseases while adventuring

Adventures on the water can heal the soul, but be mindful of water-borne pathogens that might attack you. — Photos: Arnold Loh

To show how easy it can be to contract a water-borne disease, here is a story about Lily.

Earlier this month, the 40-year-old school teacher went camping with her son, daughter and husband in Gopeng, Perak.

The managed campsite was a long-time, popular one set beside a shallow, gurgling river. The family, naturally, played and relaxed in the river.

Lily's daughter getting ready to have her meal at the campsite by the river in Gopeng where Lily contracted a water-borne disease.

On the second midnight at camp, the disease struck Lily. She vomited, had intense diarrhoea and developed a fever.

Severely dehydrated and weakened by the fever, the camping trip was botched. Her husband and kids broke camp at dawn while she was too fatigued to help.

They returned home and her symptoms got worse, so her husband rushed her to hospital.

The doctor wanted to ward her but after receiving a powerful antibiotic jab and other medications, she showed signs of recovery and was allowed to go home with an antibiotic course.

A few days later, on Lily’s camping groups on social media, she saw that many other campers who went to Gopeng around the same time as her reported falling ill with the same symptoms as hers.

Going outdoors on trips in which water is the top feature bears this risk every time.

A few of the diseases are life-threatening, as was the case for an 18-year-old lad who died from suspected leptospirosis (rat urine disease) in 2016.

He went playing at a waterfall with friends in Lata Sedim, Kedah, on March 8. The symptoms appeared on March 26. He was warded on March 31 and died the next day.

The water of this lake, clear but the colour of thick Chinese tea, indicates that it is rich in tannin acid and actually quite clean. Never paddle in a water body with grey water.

Anglers are exposed in a particularly unique way.

The next time you cast your lure or bait, eye your fishing reel.

As your line flies out, you will see a mist billowing out from your spool.

Fishing lines collect a little water, which become aerosolised by the velocity of the line paying out on the next cast.

The mist will get to your hands and if the wind is blowing towards you, you will get it in your face and even breathe it in.

So even if the angler has not dived into the water, he or she can still face the risk of water-borne diseases.

Anglers who smoke have a higher degree of exposure, since they need to periodically pause fishing for a puff; pulling that cigarette out of the box will introduce any bacteria that went from your spool to your fingers right to your mouth, my friend.

Those who go kayaking are even more at risk. The constant dripping from your paddle exposes you to contamination.

Kayakers who go to water bodies in urban areas are particularly at risk.

It is tempting to take a short drive to the local pond or ex-mining pool and spend time on the water, but such water bodies are quite likely fed by storm drains, bringing along a host of pathogens.

There are many such ex-mining pools – some the size of lakes – in Perak and Selangor that are near urban centres.

Look at the water. If there are grey hues around where water feeds into the lake, if you see a layer of scum on the surface, do not paddle there.

A large dead spotted featherback fish. Never get too close to animal carcasses floating on the water to avoid exposing yourself to nasty bacteria.

When paddling in more pristine waters, if you smell rotting vegetation, veer away, and never go alongside dead animals afloat.

I have seen carcasses of fish, snakes and even a buffalo once out on the water. Some of my fellow paddlers want to get closer out of curiosity or to take a picture, but that is highly inadvisable since rotting carcasses are full of nasty germs.

Thankfully, there are some water-borne diseases you can get vaccinated against, such as typhoid.

It may be possible that locals and villagers near contaminated waters have developed natural immunity, but holidaymakers and adventure-seekers from the cities have not. So you might fall sick while others are fine.

If you are going on a “trip of your lifetime”, it might be a good idea to speak with your doctor about how you can protect yourself so that your trip does not turn into a medical disaster.