What are waterborne diseases?

Waterborne diseases are illnesses that arise from ingesting or coming into contact with contaminated water sources. This contamination can occur due to various factors, such as pathogens introduced through human waste, animal waste, or industrial pollutants. Common examples of waterborne diseases include cholera, giardiasis, and typhoid fever, which are all linked to water that has been polluted by infectious organisms.

The other options represent different categories of diseases that do not fall under the classification of waterborne illnesses. For instance, illnesses caused by air pollution relate to respiratory diseases and other health issues stemming from airborne contaminants. Infections from contaminated food are categorized as foodborne diseases, associated with pathogens that individuals acquire through the consumption of unsafe or improperly handled food. Lastly, diseases from insect bites pertain to vector-borne illnesses, transmitted by insects such as mosquitoes or ticks, which are entirely unrelated to water sources.