Samah Bassem

Insects and Fish in the River Nile As Bioindicators of Diseases: Bioindicators of Zoonotic Diseases Samah Bassem

The quality of water is now the concern of experts in all countries of the world. The River Nile constitutes very important aquatic and wetland ecosystems and it supplies about 97% of Egypt?s water reserves. Man frequently destroys the stream?s capacity for natural self purification through excessive additions of domestic sewage and industrial wastes. Therefore, a wide variety of pathogens may be transmitted by faecally polluted water. Densely populated areas with inadequate sanitation and sewerage facilities served as a major source of pollution of surface water supplies and Rivers. Different genera of pathogenic bacteria were detected in River Nile water, Egypt. Waterborne bacterial pathogens are causative agents for many human diseases, and their presence in water bodies poses a potential threat to the human population. Because of the risk of public outbreaks of disease, it is of utmost importance that communities be aware of potential risks associated with water contact, including the presence of frankly pathogenic bacteria.