If you ever find yourself needing to drink from wild water sources to survive, it's crucial to treat the water to avoid getting sick from contamination. Bacteria and protozoa like giardia and cryptosporidium are common culprits that can lead to severe illness when you least expect it.
Survival experts and product marketers often downplay the importance of worrying about viruses in water, especially in places like the US and Canada. For instance:
- Adrienne Donica from Popular Mechanics noted, "Water-borne viruses aren't a concern in the US, Canada, parts of Europe, and Australia, so a filter is sufficient."
- Cliff Jacobson in Scouting Magazine mentioned, "Harmful viruses are extremely rare in surface waters."
- Sawyer's guide, *What Hikers & Campers Need to Know*, stated, "Viruses are not commonly transmitted in water."
This advice echoes in our own content, like the water essentials video course and portable water filter reviews.
But why exactly do experts dismiss viruses as a major concern in developed regions? After all, viruses are just as capable of making people sick as bacteria are.
To sum up:
- Most waterborne viruses that pose a health risk come from human feces. Avoiding areas where water mixes with human waste can mitigate the issue.
- Developed areas like the US and Canada have efficient sanitation systems that generally prevent fecal contamination of water sources. Other regions may lack such infrastructure, leading to more viral issues.
- Remote areas with sparse populations are less likely to harbor viruses due to insufficient hosts.
- Experts and marketers assume that if you're near civilization, sanitation systems are functional, and if you're in the wilderness, there aren't enough people to sustain a viral outbreak.
- Exceptions arise in scenarios like natural disasters, where overloaded water systems can lead to contamination, or in crowded evacuation zones with poor hygiene.
- Interestingly, research shows that viruses are more active in colder temperatures rather than warmer ones.
Let’s delve deeper into the types of waterborne viruses to watch out for. The World Health Organization highlights six main categories:
- Adenovirus
- Astrovirus
- Hepatitis A and E
- Rotavirus
- Norovirus and other caliciviruses
- Enteroviruses like coxsackieviruses and polioviruses
These viruses often cause gastrointestinal distress, with rotavirus being a major cause of severe diarrhea in young children globally. Norovirus is notorious for causing foodborne illnesses, and hepatitis and polio can have severe consequences, including paralysis.
The rarity of viral outbreaks in first-world areas is largely due to advanced sanitation practices. A U.S. study from 2009 to 2010 found that bacterial infections accounted for 76% of waterborne illnesses, whereas viruses were responsible for only 6%.
Even though viruses might be present in American water supplies, they rarely lead to widespread outbreaks. For instance, a 2014 Minnesota Department of Health study showed that 30% of drinking wells contained viral contaminants without causing significant problems. Outbreaks, like the norovirus infections among rafters on the Colorado River, are rare and make headlines when they occur.
Why do experts claim viruses aren’t a big concern? As Satre once quipped, "Hell is other people." Human-specific viruses rely on direct exposure to human waste, making isolated water sources safer.
Patrick Hurst from Sawyer Products added, "It depends on the type of water. If someone upstream has hepatitis and I drink unfiltered sewage, I could contract the virus. But viruses are fragile and require a host."
Even in regions with poor sanitation, viruses might not always be a major concern. "If I travel to Central Africa, should I worry about viruses? It depends," Hurst explained.
Sawyer only advises being cautious about viruses in refugee camps in Afghanistan and Iraq, along with certain African nations.
Viral contamination is more common in less developed regions due to poor sanitation and dense populations relying on unsafe water sources. You should be suspicious of heavily trafficked water bodies near popular campsites.
Conversely, developed nations rarely face viral issues thanks to superior sanitation. Remote areas with minimal human contact are also low-risk.
However, some North American water bodies are notably problematic, like the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. A 2009 study highlighted issues like poor trail sanitation, scarce water supplies, and overcrowding contributing to norovirus risks among hikers. With 22,000 rafters annually, contamination spreads quickly.
Even in the Grand Canyon, viral outbreaks occur sporadically every few years. While viruses aren't a current concern in developed regions, societal collapses could alter this. Smaller disruptions, like floods mixing sewage with water, can severely impact supplies.
While you can't visibly detect viruses, Hurst suggested looking for signs like poor sanitation, stagnant water, local viral outbreaks, and people drinking from puddles.
I reached out to the CDC for input but didn't receive a reply.
Interestingly, viruses perform better in colder waters. An Intervirology report found higher temperatures accelerate viral inactivation. For instance:
- Poliovirus populations dropped by 5 log units in a week at 37°C but took a year at 4°C.
- Adenovirus degraded faster at 20°C than at 4°C.
A study in England and Wales linked norovirus increases to cold, dry weather. Conversely, high temperatures can worsen viral symptoms by accelerating dehydration.
Despite this, the Grand Canyon study noted heat exacerbates viral symptoms, increasing illness severity.
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