Battling the Parasite in Your Local Pool

[question everything]

The Wall Street Journal


Battling the Parasite in Your Local Pool
By ANNA PRIOR
July 30, 2008; Page D1

Rising infections from a chlorine-resistant parasite called Cryptosporidium are forcing pools and water parks across the country to take new measures -- from ultraviolet-light water treatments to tighter swimming restrictions -- to keep their water clean. The parasite -- commonly called crypto -- is found in human and animal feces and is easily transmitted through water. When ingested, crypto can cause an illness of up to two weeks, with symptoms that include long bouts of diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, headaches and low-grade fevers. Earlier this summer, city officials in Phoenix closed and disinfected the city's 29 pools for a week after more than 100 people complained of illness and a pool was found to have the parasite. A series of outbreaks last summer in Utah sickened nearly 2,000 people. And an outbreak at a spray park in Seneca Lake State Park in New York in 2005 caused more than 4,000 people to seek medical help.

Crypto outbreaks have been increasing over the past two decades, according to Michael Beach, associate director for healthy water at the National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne and Enteric Diseases. The past few years have seen a surge, with outbreaks at pools, spray parks -- which feature fountains and other spraying devices -- and water parks jumping to around 25 in 2007 from five in 2003. Overall, outbreaks of waterborne gastrointestinal disease rose to 30 in 2007 from seven in 2003. In 1993, crypto-infected drinking water in Milwaukee sickened more than 400,000 people and is thought to have killed more than 100. Still, many people aren't aware that the illness can be contracted at swimming pools, as well as ponds and other bodies of water. (Ocean-related outbreaks are very rare.) The crypto parasite has a thick outer shell, so it can survive for more than 10 days in a pool at standard chlorination levels.

(snip)

Now, many water parks are installing ultraviolet systems, which kill parasites including crypto when water passes through the systems' black light. Seven Peaks Water Park, in Provo, Utah, invested about $250,000 in UV systems, said the park's maintenance engineer, Ken Kroeber. Park officials were concerned after some people who became ill in last year's outbreak said they had swum there, though the water wasn't ever tested for the parasite, he said. In Utah, state public-health officials want anyone who has had diarrhea to stay away from pools -- including water parks and hotel and apartment pools -- for two weeks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warn people who have had the illness to stay out of pools for at least two weeks after they get better. The CDC is working with industry representatives and public-health officials to put together the Model Aquatic Health Code -- a set of CDC-endorsed water-safety guidelines that state and local agencies will enforce. To address current concerns about crypto, a section on dealing with bodily fluids is expected to be posted on the CDC's Web site for public comment within several weeks.

(snip)

Still, swimmers can take steps to stay safe. While chlorine doesn't affect crypto at normal levels, it does kill other illness-causing agents, such as E. coli, giardia and hepatitis A. Underchlorination of pools can allow such diseases to spread. To test unfamiliar waters, people can purchase chlorination-testing strips at most hardware stores. After a quick dip in the water, the strips take about 15 to 30 seconds to work. Colors on the strips indicate whether levels of "free chlorine, ph and total alkalinity" are safe in the pool. If the levels are not where they should be, swimmers can tell a pool manager or call the local health department, says the CDC's Dr. Beach. Another way to battle the threat of a crypto outbreak is for more pools to require swimmers to shower before entering the pool. A public pool is "a public bath tub," Dr. Beach says. "We need to keep things sanitary."


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[fasttense]

1. Evolution, Those crypto are just doing what comes naturally. n/t

[sui generis]

2. I wonder why there aren't more open water crypto cases

or is crypto evolving in chlorine environments???

I had a real estate attorney some years ago that died over the weekend from crypto - saw him briefly on a Friday afternoon and then he woke up dead on Monday.

Weird.

too much chlorine in the pool and you're causing pleural damage (lungs), irritating your mucous membranes, setting yourself up for skin problems and possibly damaging your sclera, tear ducts and tear glands.

Best advice:

1. shower before entering the pool.
2. Don't poop or farbledarble in the pool
3. Don't get in the pool if you have recently had or currently have any form of gastric distress or nausea.
4. if you run to the restroom, shower before re-entering the pool.

[elehhhhna]

3. 5. DOn't put your baby/toddler in the public pool unless it is totally potty trained --

swimmy diapers do nothing, btw, to keep the funk out of the water.