The rotavirus is a highly-infectious double stranded RNA virus that serves as one of the most common causes of diarrheal disease in children . The two most common symptoms are severe watery diarrhea and vomiting, both symptoms lasting for 3 to 8 days . Subsequent dehydration of the body causes dryness in the mouth and throat, dizziness, and decreased urination. Infected individuals can transmit the virus through their feces and contract the virus by coming into contact with infected fecal matter; thus, addressing improper hygiene practices that lead to fecal contamination of water sources should be of greatest concern when it comes to rotavirus alleviation in sub-Saharan Africa. In particular, the link between water, sanitation, and health becomes strikingly apparent when examining how children come into contact with infected fecal matter. Unwashed hands contaminated with viral strains of the rotavirus, drinking tainted water sources, or consuming food prepared with unsafe water are
Image 1: Infant suffering from methemoglobinemia You see a shallow well next to an agricultural plot of land. You think, “hmmm, a shallow well - that’s probably susceptible to contamination and unprotected.” What we often cannot see, thus not think about, is the percolation of chemicals from pesticides, manure, and fertilizer from distant to nearby farming practices into the well’s groundwater. In many parts of Africa, households that surround high-intensity agricultural land may suffer from high nitrate levels in their water sources. Normal levels of nitrate in water usually fall around 1-2 mg/liter but households near farmed land can see levels of up to 50 mg/l. For reference, the U.S. Public Health Services set the maximum nitrate level at 10 mg/l . High levels of nitrate in water can cause methemoglobinemia, a condition that can best be described as oxygen starvation . In a healthy body, oxygen taken in from the lungs diffuse into the capillaries and are bound to