[The pathogens responsible for waterborne infections: the biological risk for agricultural laborer]

The presence of microbiological agents in waters intended for human consumption, irrigation and recreational activity, is a significant risk for the human health. Recent epidemiological data demonstrate an increase of the diseases caused by waterborne pathogens, especially of the gastroenteritis infections, in the industrialized countries. Numerous studies have evidenced the contamination of deep and surface waters; bacteria within contaminated water represent a highly diversified group, that are usually encountered in wastewater and sewage. In particular the pollution of the groundwater is much dangerous, from the viewpoint of drinking water safety. In fact, the groundwaters whenever polluted, have an insufficient self-purification. The aim of this paper was to estimate the presence of waterborne pathogens in groundwater intended for the irrigation. Well water samples were collected at eighteen different agricultural areas located in Calabria and analyzed for the presence of waterborne pathogens. The results shows a diffuse pollution of the wells in all of the monitorated zones. Then out of eighteen examined samples were positive for total coliforms and Enterococcus spp. and the value of total microbial contamination were higher than 100 UFC/ml; eight of these ten wells were contaminated from Salmonella spp. and Shigella spp. (minimal value 2x10(1) UFC/l; maximum value 2x10(3) UFC/l).