Microbiological risk associated with consumption of drinking water in developed countries

This article provides an overview of the waterborne disease (WBD) issue in developed countries (USA, Canada, UK and other European countries). The factors involved in the epidemiology of waterborne infection are analysed (microbial, social, environmental, etc.) and the main WBD etiological agents are described with particular interest to emerging pathogens (i.e. Cryptosporidium parvum, Legionella and Calicivirus). Microorganism characteristics related to water contamination risk are described and examples of waterborne outbreak are reported. A short account about the detection methods of these microorganisms in the water is given. In conclusion, some possible strategies to control waterborne microbiological risk in industrialised countries are discussed considering the application of the risk analysis and the HACCP system in the water production and the need of a WBD surveillance system.