Parasite sickens 9 at Rockford day-care center
ROCKFORD - Seven children and two employees at a Rockford Health System day-care facility and school contracted a parasite in recent weeks that can cause severe abdominal distress.
None of those who contracted the cryptosporidium parasite, which causes cryptosporidiosis, were hospitalized, according to the Winnebago County Health Department. The center is no longer believed to be at risk for the parasite. The cases were reported Sept. 12 to Oct. 3.
It's unknown how the parasite was spread, but it can happen when children don't wash their hands after using the bathroom. About 300 children, ranging from infants to kindergarten age, attend the day-care center at 2910 Glenwood Ave.
"We notified all the parents of all the kids in the facility," Rockford Health System spokesman Wester Wuori said.
"Obviously, we take this very seriously and want to be proactive when anything like this comes up."
Symptoms of cryptosporidiosis include diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, weight loss and low-grade fever, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
The state reports 75 to 100 cases of cryptosporidiosis each year.
The main ways to protect against the parasite are to wash hands after using the bathroom and handling animals and before preparing or eating food, and water should not be consumed directly from rivers, lakes and streams.
