*Laboratory Medicine Department, Al Azhar University Gaza, Egypt Email id: amoati2007@yahoo.com
**Laboratory Department Training Center, UNRWAGaza, Egypt Email id: h.dakka@gtc.edu.ps
Online published on 12 February, 2021.
In Gaza strip during 2011, 1041 completed a follow up interview to study the effect of water pollution on the health of sea visitors .A total of 91 participants (8.7%) reported symptoms ,male /female ratio was 1.75. Incidence of Skin infection was 21%, Ear infection 16.5%, Eye infection 25.0%, Gastroenteritis 17.7% and UTI 20.0%. Water analysis showed that total coliform Geometric mean range (226-1901), Fecal coli form (92-390) and Fecal streptococci (60-195), Staph aureus (171-440), Pseudomonas (2.1-5.6). The percentage of samples exceeding European Union standard were 51.1% for total coli form, 66.6 % fecal coliform and 36.2%fecal Streptococci .The risk factors associated with infections were Sea bathing period > 60 minutes, Age group (1-10 years) and duration of visiting beaches more than two per week Odds ratio 1.9 ,P-value 0.011 Conclusions .The results of this study suggest that the swimming in polluted marine water could a risk of acquiring different type of diseases.
Fecal Indicator Bacteria, Polluted Water, Risk Factors
