Epidemiological surveillance of waterborne diseases among displaced populations
A cross-sectional study
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19591269 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Samer Abuzerr (0000-0001-8950-3293, University College of Science and Technology - Khan Younis), Hani Hamdan (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique), Jinan Charafeddine (0000-0001-7732-3578, Rincon Research (United States)) |
| Editors | Julia Robinson (0000-0003-0719-3995) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue | 12 |
| Pages | e0005527 |
| Publication date | 2025-12-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | PLOS Global Public Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2767-3375 • E-ISSN: 2767-3375 |
| Publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1371/journal.pgph.0005527 |
| PMID | 41325302 |
| OpenAlex | W4416933798 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 16 |
Armed conflict and forced displacement in the Gaza Strip have severely disrupted access to safe water and sanitation, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of waterborne illness symptoms and evaluate water quality, sanitation conditions, and associated risk factors among internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Gaza. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from March 16 to July 2, 2025, involving 1,200 displaced individuals residing in temporary shelters across five governorates. Data were collected on self-reported symptoms, water sources, sanitation access, and hygiene practices. In addition, 240 household water samples (20%) were microbiologically tested for fecal coliforms and Escherichia coli . Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with reported illness. Among participants, 31.5% reported symptoms consistent with waterborne illness, with the highest prevalence among children under five years (38.3%). Only 27.5% accessed piped or humanitarian water, whereas 61.2% relied on trucked water from unregulated vendors. Shared sanitation was common, with 45.4% using latrines shared by ≥5 families, and 31.7% lacking soap. Microbiological testing showed that 74.2% of water samples exceeded WHO thresholds for fecal coliforms and 62.5% tested positive for E. coli , with significantly higher contamination in water from unregulated vendors ( p
Fecal coliform · Hand washing · Hygiene · Latrine · Public health · Sanitation · Water supply · Waterborne diseases · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Health and Conflict Studies · Vibrio bacteria research studies · Epidemiology
| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |