WEDC Technical Brief No. 25: Eye and skin diseases

<p dir="ltr">One of the transmission mechanisms for water related diseases is water-washing. It is specific to those diseases dependent on water quantity but excludes those that are faecal-orally transmitted. (Technical Briefs 17 and 19, respectively). As the majority of water-washed diseases affect the skin and eyes, this Technical Brief considers the effects of both hygiene practices and the availability of water on skin and eye disease. Two notable diseases not in this group, Onchocerciasis (river blindness) and Xerophthalmia (nutritional blindness), are included because of their impact on numbers of blind people.</p><p dir="ltr">In tropical and subtropical developing countries skin and eye diseases are common causes for visiting a health clinic. Reduced incidence would, therefore, be beneficial to patients and staff.</p>