A new study by the University of Hyderabad’s School of Life Sciences and the Anthropological Survey of India has revealed a serious outcome.
It has come to light that unsafe drinking water is a key ecological driver of Anti-microbial Resistance (AMR) among three of South India’s most isolated tribal communities. The research findings are a great pointer to how something as basic as drinking water quality can impact global health.
How unsafe water fuels resistance
AMR stands for antimicrobial resistance. In short, it is the ability of microbes to resist drugs meant to kill them. In fact, it is one of the biggest challenges facing us. It threatens to nullify decades of progress in modern medicine as AMR can render anti-biotics, anti-virals, anti-fungals, and anti-parasites useless as far as disease treatment is concerned. The study investigated the gut microbiomes of 103 healthy adults living in the tribal communities of Irula, Jenu Kuruba, and Kurumba located across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing was use to identify and quantify the presence of anti-microbial resistance genes (ARGs), small DNA fragments that provide anti-drug resistance to bacteria.
A wake-up call for public health
While the investigation did not evaluate ARGs in soil, livestock, or food, it clearly shows that water safety is closely linked to the overall AMR issue. WHO has warned that AMR can cause up to 10 million deaths per year by 2050 if preventative measures are not taken. And for the tribal communities in India, as they are often days away from access to any healthcare facilities, ensuring availability of safe, clean water, environmental monitoring, and recognition of resistance in public health practice not priority concerns, but absolute imperatives for preserving the future of medicine.
How Doulton water filters can help
In such a case, access to clean, safe drinking water is essential. Doulton water filters can help enormously here. Using ceramic filtration technology, Doulton filters remove bacteria, cysts, heavy metals and chemical contaminants. However, the useful minerals in the water are kept intact. As far as communities that are remote, or lack access to electricity, soap and hygiene are coincerned, a simple Doulton filter can help a lot. This in turn leads to reduction of resistance genes. Considering the importance of link between quality water and public health, practical, sustainable options like Doulton filters are increasingly required.
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