Cryptosporidium Lawyer & Attorney : Marler Clark : Cryptosporidium Blog

State and local health departments and the Centers for Disease Control investigated a historic high number of illnesses involving recreational waters last year. 

The upsurge is being driven by  Cryptosporidium ("Crypto").   Its a chlorine resistant parasite found in recreational waters including swimming pools and parks. 

"Crypto" gets into recreational waters from babies and older swimmers with diarrhea.  Other swimmers then swallow the contaminated waters, spreading the disease.

CDC wants to educate the public about the threat  of "Crypto"  to all those who are about to enjoyed the nation's swimming pools and parks.   So, May 19-25, 2008 is being celebrated as "National Recreational Water Illness Prevention Week."

The annual event is held the week before Memorial Day Weekend, the traditional start of summer.  CDC is using the week to get out its  three "pleas" to swimmers and parents in hopes of controlling the quick-spreading parasite this summer.  Here they are:

Three "PLEAs" for All Swimmers

Practice these three "PLEAs" to stop germs from causing illness at the pool:

 

Please don't swim when you have diarrhea. You can spread germs in the water and make other people sick. This is especially important for kids in diapers.

Please don't swallow the pool water. In fact, avoid getting water in your mouth.

Please practice good hygiene. Take a shower before swimming and wash your hands after using the toilet or changing diapers. Germs on your body end up in the water.

Three "PLEAs" for Parents of Young Kids

 

Follow these three "PLEAs" to keep germs out of the pool and your community:

Please take your kids on bathroom breaks or check diapers often. Waiting to hear "I have to go" may mean that it's too late.

Please change diapers in a bathroom or a diaper-changing area and not at poolside. Germs can spread to surfaces and objects in and around the pool and cause illness.

Please wash your child thoroughly (especially the rear end) with soap and water before swimming. Everyone has invisible amounts of fecal matter on their bottoms that ends up in the pool.

CDC has lot's more more available here.

 

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As regular readers will know, we've been following the reaction of local and state governments in Utah the likelihood that last summer's Crytosporidium outbreak will return this year.   Latest to do something is the City of Provo.  The Salt Lake Tribune reports:

Provo will spend $200,000 to add high-tech equipment to fight cryptosporidium at swimming pools. 
Utah had more than 1,900 cases of crypto last year. It can spread in water contaminated with human feces and cause diarrhea and other problems. 
The ultraviolet disinfectant systems will be installed at the Veterans Memorial Pool and Waterslide Park complex and at the Provo Recreation Center. 
The equipment works by shining rays on water as it circulates through the system. It can take 24 hours to clean a pool, and there still can be some water that doesn't pass through the system. 
Salt Lake County is trying a similar strategy.

Find the story here.

Check out the comments there too.  Someone is suggesting Provo start taxing diapers to pay for  the improvements!

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After the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention released the 2007 FoodNet data, most of the stories that were written focused on the fact that there was little change in the incidents of food-borne illnesses in 45-million person study area.

There was, however,  one exception.   The parasite Cryptosporidium, for which the estimated incidence of infections was up 44 percent compared with the 2004-06 period, the CDC said.

Dr. Robert Tauxe, deputy director of the CDC's Division of Foodborne, Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases, said new treatment for the parasite infection might be causing doctors to order more tests for it.

Tauxe said the increase in Cryptosporidium cases may reflect increased diagnostic testing triggered by the licensing of a new treatment, nitazoxanide.    "There wasn't a compelling reason to get a test done in the past. Now it's something they [physicians] can treat," he said.

On the other hand, there might be just a lot more of the parasite out there.   The Foodnet area includes Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, and Tennessee, plus parts of California, Colorado, and New York.  Cypto outbreaks have been commonplace, especially involving water parks and public swimming pools.

FoodNet counted 1,216 cases of Cryptosporidium in the study area during 2007, or  2.67 per 100,000.  Since the study area represents 15 percent of the total population in the United States, FoodNet suggests there might have been more than 8,100 Cryto cases in the entire country last year.

 

 

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KOAA-TV, the NBC affiliate in Colorado Springs and Pueblo, tonight (4/9/08) is reporting that parasites have been found in Alamosa's water.  KOAA reports that:

Residents of Alamosa hoped that this was the day they'd get the all-clear on their municipal water supply. No such luck. New problems have been  found.

The Colorado Department of Health informed the city that a water sample taken before the system was flushed contained two different parasites -- Giardia and Cryptosporidium.  Both can cause diarrhea. The water tests were performed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Investigators from the CDC were in Alamosa to investigate reports that several hundred people contracted salmonella  The salmonella was traced to the municipal water supply, but officials were unsuccessful in tracing how the bacteria got into the water. The contaminated water was identified three weeks ago today, when residents were told to completely stop using the water.

Alamosa remains on a "boiled water" order.   The number of people who've gotten sick has reached 389 with 107 culture confirmed cases of salmonella.   Sixteen people required hospitalization, but none died and all have been released.  For the KOAA story, go here.

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We've written much about last summer's outbreak of Cryptosporidium in Utah.   Next door, in Nevada, the town of Fernley is making parasite control a big part of its pool upgrades.

The municipality  of 19,700 is spending $731,368 on its "pool deck improvement project."  Included in the scope of the project is parasite fighting system  RGJ.com reports:

Part of the upgrades includes installation of an ultra violet light sanitation system, to which Board member Chris Beni asked what the benefit of that system entailed.

Facility Director Jann Van Horn said, "I suspect the CDC (Center for Disease Control) will be requiring it very shortly based on the literature I've been reading."  She went on to say the UV disinfection system get rid of water born germs including Cryptosporidium and Giardia, instantly.

Van Horn added those two water born germs shut down pools in Salt Lake City, Utah. She went on to say the UV disinfection systems are now required in the states of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

The rest of the story can be found here.

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Last summer's Cryptosporidium outbreak in Utah's public swimming pools continues to get attention.   First,  public health officials have been warned such large outbreaks are usually followed by a continued presence of the parasite the following year.   Second, some officials want Utah to strike before that happens with a ban on wearing diapers in public swimming pools.   And, third, studies are coming in on what actually did happen last season.

The cypto parasite made lots of people sick at the public swimming pool at Spanish Fork, Utah. (It is shown in the picture.)  So, its been subjected to a study by the Utah County Health Department.  The Salt Lake Tribune reports that:

A Utah County Health Department investigation found the Spanish Fork pool didn't post a mandatory sign telling people with diarrhea
they couldn't swim. While the notice was read over the intercom, no employees heard it, the report said.

The county's findings did not please Spanish Fork officials.  Assistant city manager Seth Perrins said the city is "not liable  for a crypto outbreak" and noted the pool was closed and super-chlorinated when managers were told it was infected with the parasite.

Go here for whole SLT story.
 

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Did you ever wish you had a magic wand that you could just wave at bacteria, viruses and protozoa in water that would prevent nasty bugs like giardia and cryptosporidium from reproducing and spreading havoc?

Well, its now available at outdoor stores like REI for just $130.  The New York Times gushes that:

The wand can clean up a quart of water that is clear — but could harbor stomach-wrecking microorganisms — in 90 seconds.

The five ounce device is called the SteriPen JourneyLCD.   It has has a liquid-crystal display that shows a countdown during purification (48 seconds for 16 ounces, 90 seconds for 32 ounces) and a smiley face at the end to signal that the job is done.

Check out the rest of the review in the NYT here.

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There is no vaccine for it and only a few medicines work well against without making the person with it even more sick.  The cryptosporidium parasite is truly a nasty, nasty bug. 

The water-borne parasite makes thousands upon thousands of children in the third world sick with diarrhea.   Besides children, cypto is often deadly for people in developing countries who are already suffering with compromised immune systems from AIDS or Cancer.

That's why there is intense interest in research being done to fight this parasite.   The Voice of America follows these developments closely.  VOA News reports on progress being made by Researcher Liz Hedstrom from Brandeis University in Massachusetts. 

"We found 10 compounds that did selectively bind to the parasite enzyme and not the human version," Hedstrom says. "It turns out that those 10 compounds do actually inhibit parasite growth."

The next step, Hedstrom says, is to test these ten compounds to see which works best and can be tolerated by animals and then by humans. She hopes that in several years, they'll be testing prototype drugs in animals.

Her research is published in the journal Chemistry and Biology.  Go here for the VOA News story.

 

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 Folks  in cold climates this time of year start thinking about places where its summer now.   You are probably not thinking about the bad things that can happen when temperatures warm up.   Australia's Victoria, for example, is right now suffering from  a cryptosporidium outbreak that is being blamed on the increase use of public swimming pools that comes with hot weather.  

The Herald Sun reports that:

In December there were 106 confirmed cases of gastro caused by the cryptosporidium parasite -- three times more than the December average of just 34 cases.

The parasite causes symptoms such as diarrhoea, stomach cramps and vomiting.

As hot weather drives Victorians to pools, chief health officer John Carnie warned those with symptoms to stay out of the water.

"The cryptosporidium parasite cannot be killed by normal levels of chlorination, so we are urging people who have had diarrhoea not to go into a swimming pool for at least 14 days after symptoms have ceased," Dr Carnie said.

The Herald Sun's complete report can be found here.

 

                       

 

 

 cryptosporidium

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Almost five years ago, there was an outbreak of Crptosporidium in a public pool in suburban Glasgow that made 30 swimmers sick.   Only now are officials about to pay up, according to the Evening Times. Scotland's  Jonathan Paisley reports that:

LEISURE chiefs face a £100,000 compensation bill after admitting full responsibility for a cryptosporidium outbreak in a public swimming pool.

Bosses of Eastwood Pool, in Giffnock, have accepted a damning NHS Greater Glasgow report into maintenance levels at the centre, describing the findings as "accurate".

Five families are suing the council after almost 30 swimmers fell ill with the stomach bug in August 2003. They had to wait more than four years for a health inspectors' report into the outbreak, which was released at Christmas.

Now council officials have revealed they won't challenge the findings - further boosting hopes of compensation for those affected.

For Paisley's complete story, go here.

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The United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection moved against Baby's Bliss apple flavor gripe water last September. 

On 9/21, FDA said:

FDA is warning consumers not to consume Baby's Bliss Gripe Water, apple flavor, with a code of 26952V and expiration date of October 2008 (shown as '10/08' on the label). The product is distributed by MOM Enterprises, Inc., of San Rafael , Calif.

FDA confirmed through laboratory analysis the presence of cryptosporidium after investigating the illness of a 6-week-old infant in Minnesota who consumed the product. Cryptosporidium is a parasite that can cause intestinal infections. MOM Enterprises, Inc. is fully cooperating with FDA's investigation and is recalling all potentially contaminated products.

Parents of children who have recently consumed Baby's Bliss Gripe Water, apple flavor, and have symptoms should seek immediate medical attention. Parents and caregivers should be alert for diarrhea and other signs of Cryptosporidium infection.

Three days later on 9/24, the State of Connecticut added this:

The Department of Consumer Protection has removed a product from three stores where it was sold, following a voluntary recall by the manufacturer and a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning consumers not to drink or serve the beverage.

The product is Baby's Bliss Gripe Water, apple flavor, with a code of 26952V and expiration date of October 2008 (shown as "10/08" on the label), distributed by MOM Enterprises, Inc., of San Rafael, Calif. The FDA confirmed through laboratory analysis the presence of cryptosporidium after investigating the illness of a 6-week-old infant in Minnesota who consumed the product. Cryptosporidium is a parasite that can cause intestinal infections.

"We have identified three stores in the state that have sold this beverage, and we have made sure that the product has been removed from sale," Consumer Protection Commissioner Jerry Farrell, Jr. said. "Consumers who have this item at home should be sure it is not coded and dated as described in the FDA warning. If it is, please do not use the beverage, but discard it immediately."

The three stores known to have carried Baby's Bliss Gripe Water are:

• Over the Moon, Avon
• Bissell Pharmacy, Ridgefield
• Starlight Baby, Southbury

All of the above stores have been contacted by Consumer Protection and are aware of the recall.

The action Health Canada has taken against Baby's Bliss in the last few days, however, makes one wonder: What happens to recalled products anyway?

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A product for ill children is found to carry the dangerous parasite cryptosporidium and Health Canada is warning parents about it.   Where does the product come from?  China?  Nope.

How about California?  Yep and the product is natural too.  Nothing more natural than a good 'Ole parasite sharing the planet with us.    Anyway,  here's what Becky Rynor at the CanWest News Service reported over the weekend:

Health Canada is telling parents not to use two natural products for treating upset stomachs in infants and children because of potential bacterial contamination.

Baby's Bliss Gripe Water, apple flavor, 26952V, is a natural health product given to babies to "ease stomach discomfort and gas often associated with colic, hiccups and teething," Health Canada said in an alert to consumers.

The product is distributed by MOM Enterprises, Inc. in California and is sold in a 118.26 milliliters plastic bottle in a cardboard carton. The label reads: Baby's Bliss Pediatrician Recommended Gripe Water Apple Flavor.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration found the product contains the parasite cryptosporidium which can infect the gastrointestinal tract. "Infections due to cryptosporidium may cause watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, vomiting and, in some cases, death," Health Canada said.

The other product does have a China connection.   Its Zhong Ti Xiao Er Jian Pi San, batch number JPS0704, manufactured by MOH Pharmaceutical Technologies in Malaysia and distributed through Singapore by Chung Kuo Refined Chinese Medicine Dealers Ltd.

Health Canada said this is a also a natural health product used to treat upset stomachs and digestive problems in children. It comes in powder form in a 20 gram pack.

Neither product can be legally sold in Canada, but Health Canada says parents might get it on the Internet or by traveling to the United States.   It looks like Bliss built its business on the Internet, but its now advertising that its products are "now available at Walgreen's."

We'll be checking to seeing if our parasite-finding FDA is doing anything on this side of the border.

 

 

 

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Utah health officials like Lewis Garrett who want to ban diaper-wearing tots from pools now have the backing of the editorial page at the Salt Lake Tribune.   The editorial writers really got into the subject:

"Don't take this the wrong way. We love babies. Lov'em, lov'em, lov'em. And we don't want to spoil their fun. But until Mommy and Daddy teach them to go potty, their dirty little bottoms should be banned from public swimming pools. 

"Kids in diapers can turn swimming pools into cesspools. And it's more than just gross. Babies and toddlers in water, while a source of boundless joy and lots of laughs for parents and siblings, are also the cause of countless cases of cryptosporidiosis, a disease named for a nasty little parasite that lives in feces. Humans generally ingest the parasite while swimming in contaminated lakes and streams, then pass it along when they visit a public pool.

"Last summer, Utah experienced a serious outbreak of the disease, which causes severe diarrhea. Public health officials said 88 percent of the cases were linked to recreational swimming. Babies and toddlers in swim diapers - those colorful pseudo-suits that claim to be leak proof but aren't - rightly bore the brunt of the blame.

"Nobody died, but thousands of residents spent a lot of time on the toilet, and dozens were hospitalized. State health officials logged 1,963 crypto cases in 2007, up from 14 in an average year. And, because studies show that most cases go undiagnosed and unreported, the outbreak was probably even worse. "

Tribune editorial writers noted that the Centers for Disease Control have warned that crypto will be back next summer and that the Utah Health Board is getting ready with the diaper ban.

The Tribune lets its readers comment on line and many did so and most were supportive.  Some are wondering, however, if health officials are  looking the right place.

Two examples:

  I personally wonder if the real cause might not be found in the chemical suppliers for the pool industry. I doubt the pool staffs were doing anything different in how they treated the pools. Mothers certainly weren't doing anything different, yet suddenly crypto cases skyrocket? IMO a more likely cause is the chemical suppliers decided to reformulate to save money, but didn't bother to tell anyone else. --dwildren

I find it interesting that most of the time, poop is found in the area where the bigger (toilet trained) kids are playing. I've taken lots of babies to the pool and never had them #2 in their swim diapers. I think it's bigger kids who don't want to leave the fun and head to the toilet. That being said, I have no problem with the ban if it might help. At least it could rule out one possibility. Personally, I plan on saving for a pool in my backyard. - sofia

At this point, we'd bet the diapers are going down in Utah.  We'll watch to see  if there is a  counteroffensive.

   

 

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Utah last summer recorded 1,963 cases of cryptosporidiosis. There were just 14 cases during the previous summer.

Lewis Garrett, who was named 2007’s Health Officer of the Year by the Utah Association of Local Boards of Health, favors a permanent ban on diapers in public pools.

That’s because he thinks summer 2008 will bring another cryptosporidiosis outbreak to Utah, especially to the recreational swimming areas in the four counties of the Wasatch Front.

“We’ve been told by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that when you have a outbreak of this magnitude, it comes back a year later, “ Garrett --who is executive director of the Davis County Health Department-- told The Salk Lake Tribune.

“It’s an insidious little bug.”

The step to ban diaper-clad tots from public pools in baby-friendly Utah is getting serious consideration from public health officials. Garrett, working through his Davis County Board of Health, has been shaking up public health in Utah. A few examples:

[] Minors not with their parents are prohibited from using tanning booths.

[] Mass clinics locations have been established using Mormon church stake centers.

[] Outdoor smoking has been banned in public places.

[] Protecting public well water through new source protection ordinances.

In response to the last cryptosporidiosis outbreak, the Utah Department of Health prohibited children under 5 from public swimming pools. In addition, pools were required to implement hyper-chlorination measures. The ban on diapers applied without regard to age.

The state restrictions, however, were lifted last month.

After that, Garrett brought the issue back up before the Davis County Board of Health. He favors making the ban on diaper-wearing youngsters permanent. But, the board majority isn’t there---yet.

Ann Benson, chairwoman of the board, says Garrett is “very much on the leading edge; proactive rather than process-oriented.”

This one will be interesting to watch.

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The final pool restrictions imposed last summer to curb an outbreak of the cryptosporidiosis parasite have been lifted in Davis County and statewide.  The Utah Department of Health announced Wednesday that the restrictions have been lifted. Pool operators are no longer required to hyperchlorinate pools and maintain higher levels of chlorine. The restriction from swimming has also been lifted for anyone who needs to wear diapers, regardless of age. And day care centers may once again include water activities in their daily routines.

The parasite has a very hard outer shell which resists normal pool chlorination. That’s why pool operators had to hyperchlorinate pools this summer.  Crypto is a parasite that causes severe chronic diarrhea. The bug infected pools across much of the Wasatch Front over the summer.  The parasite cryptosporidium is transmitted through a fecal-oral route. That means during the off-season for swimming, the parasite is most often transmitted in places like day care centers, where a lot of diapers are being changed, Garrett said, and by people, especially children, failing to wash their hands after using the bathroom.

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A Wisconsin day care worker has been diagnosed with Cryptosporidiosis, the infection caused by the ingestion of Cryptosporidium, a parasite.  As reported by the Lake County Reporter:

At All About Learning in Oconomowoc, the staff member with Cryptosporidium is being treated with antibiotics and has already been allowed to return to work under physician approval.

"We don't know how she got it," said Heidi Krueger, director of the Oconomowoc center.

The staff member went to an emergency room Sept. 27 because of cramping and dehydration and with treatment was back to work the following Monday. The Oconomowoc center has also been in contact with the health department.

The news of the worker's illness coincides with a report that a child at an affiliated daycare has been diagnosed with an E. coli infection. 

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Cryptosporidiosis is a gastrointestinal illness caused by parasitic protozoa of the genus Cryptosporidium and can produce watery diarrhea lasting 1-3 weeks1; one or two cases per 100,000 population are reported annually in the United States.2-3 Fecal-oral transmission of Cryptosporidium oocysts occurs through ingestion of contaminated drinking or recreational water, consumption of contaminated food, and contact with infected persons or animals (e.g., cattle or sheep).

keep reading here

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MOM Enterprises, in cooperation with an FDA investigation, is recalling apple-flavored Baby’s Bliss Gripe Water (code number 26952V, expiration date October 2008) after laboratory analysis confirmed the presence of the Cryptosporidium pathogen

keep reading here

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PIERRE - The state health department is warning South Dakotans to protect themselves from cryptosporidiosis, an intestinal illness that is increasing across the nation.

The disease is caused by a microscopic parasite called Cryptosporidium, and outbreaks in the past have been linked to contaminated recreational water such as swimming pools and waterparks. There has been no specific common exposure in the South Dakota cases.

"We've reported 108 cases of cryptosporidiosis so far this year, which is up considerably from the five-year median of 31 cases a year," said Lon Kightlinger, state epidemiologist. "Several of our neighboring states are also seeing increases in crypto."

keep reading here

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Cryptosporidium, also known as crypto is a germ that causes diarrhea. An individual becomes infected with crypto by accidentally swallowing feces-contaminated food or water or having contact with other feces-contaminated objects.

Crypto is easily spread person-to-person. Currently there are outbreaks of crypto in several Iowa counties. The Shelby County area has had two confirmed cases recently.

Crypto causes watery diarrhea, which can result in dehydration. Symptoms typically occur 2 to 12 days after exposure but the illness may go in cycles of getting better, then worse before the illness ends.

Keep reading here

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State and local health departments Tuesday extended for at least two more weeks the swimming restrictions that bar children under 5 from public pools.

Restrictions were announced in late August to deal with a statewide outbreak of illness caused by the parasite cryptosporidium, most often spread by swimming pools. There have been 1,300 confirmed cases of the resulting illness, cryptosporidiosis, this year — 30 a year is typical — with those infected suffering long-lasting, often debilitating diarrhea.

More people have been hospitalized with cryptosporidium — 39 so far this year — than the usual total number of cases in a year.

Because it takes about 18 days from exposure to cryptosporidium to illness, testing and confirmation provided to the state, health officials say they don't know yet whether the restrictions have done enough. So they'll leave the ban in place for two more weeks to see if the number of cases drops.

Keep reading here

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A mysterious parasite is somewhere in Southern Nevada's water supply. The water-borne illness has already affected seven people in the valley.

The Southern Nevada Health District has few answers about where the parasite, cryptosporidium, came from.

This mystery has few common threads. The seven people aren't connected, and cryptosporidium can appear almost anywhere.

"Any untreated water is a possible source of an illness," said Mark Bergholdt, Southern Nevada Health District.

Keep reading here

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Problem/Condition: Cryptosporidiosis, a gastrointestinal illness, is caused by protozoa of the genus Cryptosporidium.

Reporting Period: 2003--2005.

System Description: State and two metropolitan health departments voluntarily reported cases of cryptosporidiosis through CDC's National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System.

Results: During 2003--2005, the total number of reported cases of cryptosporidiosis increased from 3,505 for 2003 to 3,911 for 2004 and to 8,269 for 2005. All reporting areas submitted reports, with more reports from northern states. Compared with other age groups, a greater number of case reports were received for children aged 1--9 years and adults aged 30--39 years. Peak onset of illness occurred annually during early summer through early fall.

Keep reading here

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WAUSAU, Wis. (AP) - The Marathon County health department is investigating an outbreak of cryptosporidium (krip-toh-spor-RID'-ium).

The disease is a single-celled parasite that causes watery diarrhea and abdominal cramps.

So far eight people have been sickened since August 6th.

Health officials say the outbreak may be traced to an outdoor pool at the Rothschild-Schofield aquatic center. The pool has been closed for the season.

Keep Reading Here

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GILLETTE, Wyo. (AP) - Eighteen cases of cryptosporidium linked to two pools have been documented in Gillette since mid-July.

A few other cases have originated at Keyhole Reservoir in Crook County.

Kelly Weidenbach, a state surveillance epidemiologist, says it's difficult to say whether the parasite source is the Gillette city pool or the Campbell County pool.

She says many people afflicted with the diarrhea-causing parasite had swum at both pools this summer.

keep reading here

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The number of people reporting cases of severe diarrhea continues to rise, and exposure will likely not decline until people who are sick - or who have recently been sick - avoid pools and recreational waters, the Utah Department of Health warns.
 
To date, more than 150 cases of cryptosporidium - a parasite that is chlorine resistant at normal levels used in pools and can be difficult to eliminate - have been reported to the Davis County, Salt Lake Valley, Utah County and Weber/Morgan health departments.

Of particular concern are individuals with compromised immune systems, such as those with HIV or AIDS, cancer, those who have recently had an organ transplant and are taking certain immunosuppressive drugs, and those with inherited diseases that affect the immune system.

Keep reading here

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GARNER — The Garner Aquatic Center will close for the season effective immediately due to a recent outbreak of the cryptosporidium parasite.

On August 17, the city of Garner was notified that at least one person with cryptosporidiosis was known to have recently visited the Aquatic Center and that the pool would have to close for the day to super-chlorinate the water. Due to the pervasiveness of the cryptosporidium parasite at this time and the limited number of days remaining in the season, city leaders have opted to close the center for the rest of the season.

keep reading here

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FARMINGTON — Davis County health officials are asking that people abide by good hygiene practices as they make use of area pools.

Over the past few weeks, there have been six cases of the parasite cryptosporidium reported in area pools, causing gastrointestinal illnesses, like diarrhea.

As of late last week, the Salt Lake Valley Health Department had seen 24 cases and in Utah County, health officials had seen 46 cases. Typically, a county sees only three cases, according to the Utah Department of Health, and the last time there was a case reported in Davis County was 2004. when there was one, although Brian Hatch, the county’s epidemiologist, said there was one year prior to 2004, when there were 20 cases.

keep reading here

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Several cases of illnesses associated with swimming and other recreational water activities in lakes have been reported to the North Dakota Department of Health.

Several kinds of germs that cause diarrhea are naturally found in lakes and rivers. For example, cryptosporidium is a parasite that finds its way into water when excreted in feces of people and many species of animals, including cattle, sheep, rodents, cats, dogs and birds. Humans become infected by swallowing water contaminated with the parasite.

"Unfortunately, people don't often realize that lakes and rivers can contain germs that may make them sick," Goplin said. "It's very important that people don't swallow the water when swimming or water skiing."

keep reading here

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The Montgomery County Health Department has issued a warning about a parasitic infection linked to the Spring Valley YMCA in Limerick.

The health department confirmed three infections of the gastrointestinal ailment cryptosporidium, which is caused by microscopic parasites that invade the intestine and pass in the stool. Recreational pools have been known to be a source of this type of infection, which is usually contracted by accidentally swallowing water that has been contaminated with fecal matter.

Keep reading here

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There you are, floating in the pool with nary a care in the world. Suddenly, an errant water toy lands on your stomach. Caught off guard, you flail around in the pool, taking in a big gulp of water as you regain your balance.

Drinking pool water might not seem like a walk on the wild side, but it's definitely something that should be avoided. That's because contaminated pool water is a prime cause of an intestinal bug known as "recreational water illness." (And no, recreational water illness is not a good time unless ear, skin and eye infections or a round of diarrhea are fun for you.)

Recreational water illnesses are caused by invisible-to-the-eye germs like giardia, E. coli and shigella that contaminate pool water. Chlorine kills most of the germs that cause these stomach ailments, but it doesn't work instantly. And some of these germs, like Cryptosporidium, better known as Crypto, are resistant to chlorine.

So if someone who has diarrhea goes swimming in a pool, fecal matter can contaminate the water. And that can lead to illness. Children, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems who are exposed to these kinds of germs can get sicker than other people.

The number of people affected by recreational water illnesses each year is unknown. Most cases go unreported, although there have been 150 confirmed outbreaks affecting thousands of people during the last 10 years, involving water parks, spas and hot tubs. It can take several weeks before the germs in the water cause illness, so many people don't realize their illness is related to swimming.

It's a good idea to rinse off before you jump in the pool to remove fecal matter or other germs. And if you've been sick with diarrhea, stay out of the water.

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Recreational Water Illnesses

Healthy swimming behaviors can greatly reduce the risk of recreational water illness from occurring and help stop germs from getting in the water.

"Swimming in pools, lakes and rivers are a popular summer pastime in North Dakota," Goplin said. "Ill or recently ill people who swim in recreational waters put others at risk." Recreational water illnesses (RWI) are spread by swallowing contaminated water from swimming pools, hot tubs, lakes, rivers and oceans. The most commonly reported RWI is diarrhea, usually caused by germs including cryptosporidium, giardia, shigella and E. coli.

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Every year John Mason said he temporarily closes between 30 and 40 pools in Deschutes County for violating health codes.

The facilities that break the rules are typically using too little chlorine, have water with an out-of-whack pH balance or are missing safety equipment, he said. And as an inspector for the Deschutes County Environmental Health Division, Mason said it’s his job to protect the public from potentially unhealthy swimming environments.

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SOUTHERN California beaches offer a little slice of heaven for true water hounds — regular sets of big, muscular waves for surfers, cool ocean breezes for kite boarders and windsurfers and long stretches of shallow water for flopping around on rafts and belly boards.

But nearly everyone who's ever swallowed a big mouthful of ocean water has wondered the same thing: What exactly is lurking in there — and what are the chances of getting sick from it?

The answer depends on the water quality at any given beach at any given time. This year, despite last winter's low rainfall, water quality at L.A. County beaches ranked among the worst in the state, brought down by particularly poor water quality in Long Beach, according to Mark Gold, executive director of the nonprofit environmental group Heal the Bay.

Heal the Bay issues a weekly "report card" for each beach, based on data assembled from more than 20 coastal health agencies.

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SAN JOSE, Calif. -- On hot, sticky days, there's nothing more refreshing than jumping into a cold pool. But how can you tell if the water is clean and safe?

It's not easy, say experts in pool health and safety. Even clear, sparkling pools can harbor bacteria. And a strong chlorine smell, often followed by stinging eyes and coughing, doesn't necessarily mean swimmers are safe: It's a noxious byproduct of chlorine binding to mass amounts of urine and sweat, said Michael Beach, an epidemiologist for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Liberty’s spraygrounds opened today for the summer season after extra efforts by city staff in recent months to ensure that cryptosporidium had been washed out of the facilities.

The diarrhea-causing bacteria cropped up at City Park and Ruth Moore Park last summer, sickening dozens of residents and forcing the city to close the popular water features several weeks early.

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A new generation of water filtration materials is enabling municipalities and industries in the United States and water-short countries overseas to produce safe drinking water from supplies contaminated with salts and other undesirable compounds, according to an article scheduled for the April 23 issue of Chemical & Engineering News, ACS’ weekly newsmagazine.

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• Q: Over spring break, my children attended a pool party. Later, one got really sick; the doctor thought that an organism in the water caused it. I don't understand how that could happen; I could smell the chlorine before I could see the pool.
Can Action Line explain?

• A: Your child contracted what's known as an RWI, or recreational water illness. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there has been a marked increase in cases over the last decade. While chlorine does kill most germs, it takes several hours to reach maximum effectiveness; and some organisms, such as Cryptosporidium, or Crypto, which causes diarrhea, are resistant to it. Beyond that, if you could smell chlorine from a distance, the pool wasn't properly treated. A well-managed pool should look clear; there should be no strong smell of chlorine.

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The in-ground fountains at Cupertino's Civic Center Plaza are scheduled to bubble up again after several days of routine maintenance. It is unclear why they were left off the list of seven similar fountains that Santa Clara County officials are investigating for health hazards.

Children often play in the Cupertino fountains, as the designers intended.

County environmental health officials are investigating fountains built for children that may not properly kill water-borne bacteria and parasites. Cupertino's fountains, located between City Hall and the Cupertino Library, fit the bill.

The county's investigation is prompted by cases of cryptosporidium at Plaza de Cesar Chavez in San Jose. The parasite causes nausea and diarrhea.

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After a nasty parasite outbreak at the play fountain at San Jose's Plaza de Cesar Chavez sickened at least seven children last summer, the fountain remains closed at least until July, with repairs expected to cost about $600,000. And a similar fountain at McEnery Park remains off limits indefinitely because there's no money budgeted to fix it.

As Santa Clara County health officials continue to scrutinize the county's play fountains, the scope of the repairs is coming into sharp focus as summer nears and kids start eyeing their swimsuits.

"Every time I see the estimates, I need dental surgery because my jaw hits the ground," said Councilman Sam Liccardo, whose district includes both the Cesar Chavez and McEnery fountains.

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The New York State Health Department shut down the Sprayground on August 15, 2005, after it was determined that the Spraygroundís water holding tanks, which were used to recycle water, were contaminated with Cryptosporidium. On August 26, the Health Department issued an update on its investigation into the outbreak, announcing that 3,297 cases of Cryptosporidium had been reported in 33 New York counties. Of those cases, 415 were confirmed cases reported to the State Health Department. Thirty-three people had been hospitalized with Cryptosporidiosis.  Click on PowerPoint to see the summary of the State's own investigation.  See www.sprayparkoutbreak.com for updates.

The class action arises out of an outbreak of illness related to the waterborne microscopic parasite cryptosporidia in June, July, and August, 2005. The plaintiffs allege that the outbreak is the result of contaminated water at the Seneca Lake Spray Park in Geneva, New York in that same time frame. The plaintiffs also allege that the State of New York was negligent, and therefore legally responsible for the illnesses. The State of New York disputes these allegations.

The case is currently filed in The State of New York Court of Claims, in front of Judge Nicholas V. Midey, Jr. The plaintiffs’ motion for class certification has been granted. The litigation is presently in a “Notice” stage, where potential class members are being given the opportunity to apply to be members of the class. Issues pertaining to liability of the State of New York and potential compensation for Class members are yet to be determined.

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University of Ulster scientists have made a significant breakthrough in the global research into cryptosporidium, the parasite responsible for majority of gastrointestinal parasitic infections around the world.

Despite intensive efforts