Health effect of wastewater reuse in agriculture.

The present study addresses the impact of wastewater reuse in agriculture on the transmission of protozoan and helminthic infections. For this purpose, an epidemiological study was carried out on two populations of children totalling 608 individuals for protozoan infections and 528 for helminthic infections. Each population comprised an exposed group living in the wastewater spreading area of Marrakech and a control group. Results showed that 72% of the exposed group had protozoan infections. This rate did not exceed 45% in the control group. The pathogenic protozoan infections observed were giardiasis and amoebiasis. Regarding helminthic infections, 73% of the exposed children were infected compared with 30% of the control group. The risk attributable to wastewater reuse in the transmission of pathogenic protozoan and helminthic infections was 41% and 43%, respectively. Children of the spreading area are therefore more exposed to detectable risks from parasitic helminths and protozoa than the control children.