Anyone know anything about Cryptosporidium?

[CoffeeCat]

I am wondering if anyone knows anything about Cryptosporidium?

I just found out that I have it. My doctor told me that another patient
was diagnosed yesterday, and that three others patients (diagnosed by other
doctors in her office) have it as well.

I live in a small community of 25,000 people. It seemed a bit odd to me
that 5 people being seen one medical practice would be diagnosed with Cryptosporidium.

I read that it is often passed on in public waters--such as pools. I swam at our
public aquatic center a week before developing symptoms. I've been sick for a
week now--with no end in sight.

I am wondering if 5 cases from one doctor is an indicator that our community
is experiencing a problem with the public pool water? The doctor mentioned
to me that Crypto is rare, and not one pharmacy in our town had the drug
used to treat this condition. It had to be ordered.

I'm concerned for our community, and for all of the children who swim in that
pool. I read that crypto is harder on children, the elderly and those with
compromised immune systems. Furthermore, it is spread through diarrhea and millions
of these parasites are expelled at a time (sorry to be so graphic). If parents
of a sick child are unaware that their child has Crypto, they might not be as
hyper vigilant about ensuring that everything is sanitized. I also read that Crypto
survives chlorine and most household cleaners.

Is there reason for concern? Who would I talk with about my concerns?

Has anyone else had this? I know I'm going to be ok, but it's just hard to be
sick like this. Symptoms last 1 week--30 days.

Thanks for any info or insight.

[Stargazer99]

1. I watched a special on one of the educational TV stations

In one of the lakes in Michigan this beast was in the public drinking waters. I suggest you demand an analysis of the public water supply.Especially if you are aware of 5 persons...ask them if they've been swimming, maybe that isn't the source.

[CoffeeCat]

5. True...

...the source could be a number of things.

I was guessing the public pool as a likely source--because I developed symptoms a week
after swimming there (and one week is the average incubation period). I only
swam there twice this summer; once in June and once in late August.

You're right though, there could be another common source and it's good to
keep an open mind.

[hlthe2b]

2. Yes... it certainly could have come from the public pool

Given the organism is not killed by chlorine, these kinds of outbreaks are increasing--large water parks, pools, etc. The organism is normally filtered by metro water systems, but children in diapers are often the source of contamination in pools and wildlife can be in lakes and streams.

The chronic bloating, cramping, intermittent diarrhea is certainly unpleasant, but really only dangerous to those who are immunocompromised.

DO make sure your county public health department (or state health department) is notified asap. While health providers are required by law to report these kinds of conditions, they often do not. The sooner public health can investigate, the more likely they can stop it before someone truly becomes dangerously ill.

[CoffeeCat]

8. Yes, and our community...

...is a suburb of a large city. It's mainly families with children, and there
are so many children at that pool. It's a large aquatic center, but you can barely
move it's so crowded--mostly with children. Many of them are in diapers at the pool
or wearing those Pampers Splashers.

Thanks for the info on Crypto not being dangerous to the average person.

Thank you and I will notify our county health department. I appreciate
your knowledge!

[Justin54B20L]

3. Have you notified your local health department?

5/25000 or 1/5000 does seem a bit out of the ordinary. I'm not sure if the volume of incidents triggers an automatic report from your doctor to the local health department (LDH), as such indicators usually vary.

Best thing would be to contact your LDH and inform them of this, if they do not already know. This will give your registered sanitarians and environmental health professionals there a heads up to start checking local pools more thoroughly and focus on c.s. in specific. From there they should be able to find out the source and take steps to reduce the risk of other people contracting the disease.

[CoffeeCat]

11. Thanks, I will do that tomorrow! (nt)

[TechBear_Seattle]

4. Check the Wikipedia

Article for Cryptosporidium

If your water supply comes from open standing water, there is a chance that some slipped through your water treatment plant. Another possibility is that you all recently drank from the same contaminated water source, swam in the same contaminated river, lake, pond or resevoir, or visited the same farm, petting zoo or pet store.

Being a protozoa, it is generally difficult to pass directly person to person (unless you are very intimate.) Much more likely is a common contaminated source. Small outbreaks are not unusual, especially if you live in a rural area. It is easy to treat, so unless the outbreak turns out to be widespread, there is probably no reason to be too worried.

[CoffeeCat]

10. Our town is a suburb of 25,000 people...

...practically connected to a city of 300,000 people. I don't think we're considered rural.

Maybe I'll Google other local suburbs and the city of 300,000--and see if other cases
come up--in which case it could be the water treatment plant--which is in the city of 300,000.

[TechBear_Seattle]

12. I had missed in your post the question about the pool

From the Wikipedia article:

Cryptosporidium has a spore phase (oocyst) and in this state can survive for lengthy periods outside a host and also can resist many common disinfectants, notably chlorine based disinfectants.

I would rather not think of how crypto could get into a pool but once there, normal chlorination would probably not kill off the cysts. The suggestion to convey this possibility to your local health department is a good one; they should be tracking info to trace the source of the outbreak anyway.

[LittleClarkie]

6. We had it in Milwaukee, and I thought you had to drink it

I would get bottled water if I were you, just in case. Didn't realize one could get it by swimming in contaminated water.

One of our purification plants malfunctioned if I recall correctly. Gads that was a while ago. I'll go and see if I can find old reports.

[LittleClarkie]

7. This fact sheet says one to two weeks so maybe there's hope

according to it, you may have ingested some of the pool water.

http://www.cdc.gov/NCIDOD/DPD/parasites/cryptosporidiosis/factsht_cryptosporidiosis.htm#2

[CoffeeCat]

9. Yep, that happened...

I took one of my children down the slide with me. I managed to hold her up as we landed
in the water, but I went under and choked on some water. I know I swallowed some.

[mcscajun]

15. If it's in the public water supply, you could get it simply by brushing

your teeth with infected water.

Since this post, I've seen some stories about the same problem in Galway City, County Mayo, Ireland.

[Greybnk48]

13. There was a crypto crisis in Milwaukee in 1993

My nephew was at UWM and became quite ill with severe diarrhea from the water along with most of the campus (they had to cancel and reschedule final exams!). The contamination of the city's water supply came from the MIlwaukee river. It was really horrendous and got quite a bit of national attention from the MSM. It does kill the young, the elderly and people who are compromised with AIDS I think from dehydration. There were several deaths in Milwaukee if I remember correctly. But healthy people generally recover without any lasting effects.

[orleans]

14. never heard of it, but i hope you're feeling better soon. n/t

[Lurking Dem]

16. I would call the CDC and report it.

The doctor's office may have already done so but I would call anyway.