Patricia L. Meinhardt, MD, MPH, MA, Arnot Ogden Medical Center, Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 600 Ivy Street, Elmira, NY 14905, (607) 257-6559, epidoc@twcny.rr.com

Contamination of water reserves by either chemical pollutants or infectious pathogens may affect the health of millions of residents in America. Misdiagnosis and under-reporting of waterborne disease by the medical and public health community may result in significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in susceptible populations at increased risk of water-related disease. In addition, the threat of intentional water contamination or water terrorism underscores the importance of the protecting water quality and the public’s health. The initial indication of a water terrorism event in a population may be a change in disease trends and illness patterns first recognized by the public health community. This scenario could potentially involve a community-wide waterborne disease outbreak or a cluster of water-related cases of chemical or radiologic toxicity as a result of water terrorism. This poster presentation will provide public health practitioners with an overview of the ready made tools available to help them recognize and manage all types of water-related disease resulting from contaminated drinking water, polluted recreational waters, and intentional acts of waterborne terrorism. This session will highlight a new medical website, Recognizing Waterborne Disease and the Health Effects of Water Pollution: A Physician On-Line Reference Guide, accessible at WaterHealthConnection.org. This free on-line reference guide has received more than 5,400,000 hits for information in the past six months from the medical and public health community across the US. The session will include a live hands on demonstration of the comprehensive resources and ready made tools available at this valuable medical website.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the clinical and public challenges of recognizing and managing cases of waterborne disease, water pollution, and water terrorism;
• Describe the specialized web-based resources available to the public health community at WaterHealthConnection.org;
• Define the public health community’s role in protecting water quality and safety including challenges to the security of drinking water reserves

Keywords: Water, Public Health Education

Related Web page: www.WaterHealthConnection.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Environmental Protection Agency
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: EPA grant