Cryptosporidium Lawyer & Attorney : Marler Clark : Cryptosporidium Blog

"School officials closed six middle-school pools in the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District on Tuesday, pending a Minnesota Department of Health investigation into a parasitic infection that has sickened students.

Two members of a community swim team have been confirmed with cryptosporidiosis recently and another 16 students in elementary and middle school have reported illnesses that indicate infections, said Dr. Joni Scheftel, an epidemiologist at the Health Department.

Symptoms can include diarrhea, cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever, fatigue and weight loss, and can last as long as two weeks.

The illnesses, which began about Sept. 28, were reported late Monday afternoon to the Health Department, Scheftel said.

Swim team members used various pools, but it was too early to identify the source of the infections, she said.

The department had urged the closing of pools at Falcon Ridge, Blackhawk and Dakota Hills middle schools, but school officials closed all six used by middle-school students, she said."

More after the Jump

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August 30, 2006
9News.com (Denver, CO)
Jeffrey Wolf

LONE TREE - The Tri-County Health Department is warning people of an outbreak of a bacterium called Cryptosporidium that may be from a pool at the Lone Tree Recreation Center.

The pool was closed because 12 people who went to a birthday party at the center last week came down with diarrhea and stomach cramps, which are symptoms of Cryptosporidium or "Crypto."

There are three confirmed cases of Crypto.

The Tri-County Health Department collected samples from the pool Wednesday morning and the pool workers spent the day chlorinating the pool.

"We want to be precautionary, protect the public, do what we can to be proactive, if there is anything in the pool," said Marc Heirschberg with South Suburban Pools and Recreation.

Authorities plan to reopen the Lone Tree pool Thursday.

The Tri-County Health Department says if your children are experiencing symptoms of Crypto you should not let them go to a pool, school or daycare.

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By ELIZABETH NEFF and CAREY HAMILTON
Salt Lake Tribune

In triple-digit temperatures, there are few things more appealing than a dip in a crystal-clear pool.

Focused on cooling down and keeping the kids occupied for a few hours, many don't think twice about skipping the showers and just jumping in. But federal health officials say they should -- the spread of recreational water illnesses is on the rise nationally.

Most recreational water illnesses enter water through fecal matter, and spread through contact or swallowing contaminated water.

Exposure to the five most common bugs -- cryptosporidium, E-coli, giardia, shigella and Hepatitis A -- usually results in diarrhea, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But it can also mean skin rashes and ear or respiratory infections.

The CDC says reports from 1984 to 2002 indicate an increase in reported diarrheal outbreaks, resulting in about 19,000 water-related illnesses over that time period. Officials attribute the rise to increased recreational water usage and improved detection.

On a blisteringly hot day earlier this month, Juneal Wilding of the Salt Lake City area joined other mothers and children leaving a public swimming pool en masse after the pool was closed in an all-too-commonplace occurrence.

"Someone had an accident, and they told us it would take an hour to clean up," said Wilding. "It's disgusting."

The ill-fated outing was the first time Wilding and her twin boys visited the recreation center pool. But they had joined a relatively length list of people sharing the same fate.

Tod Bean, recreation facilities director, said most violations resulted from the kids' wading pool

"We've really stepped things up there," he said. "We shock it twice a week, drain it once a month and test the water every two hours."

Wilding, however, said she hadn't thought much about pool water standards before that day. "I'll probably ask about violations in the future," she said.

Shallow baby pools and hot whirlpools, sources of warm temperatures and small spaces, create a perfect environment for germs to multiply.

That means more problems at hotels, apartments, condos and gyms, which don't have staff check the water as frequently.

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No laws regulate cleanliness of Tuscaloosa County's public pools

By Lydia Seabol
Staff Writer

July 27, 2006

TUSCALOOSA | On a sweltering day, it's not likely that many swimmers think about what germs lurk in public pools before taking the plunge.

Perhaps they should.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recreational water illnesses can spread quickly in swimming pools that aren't properly maintained.

Serious diseases caused by such bacteria as cryptospordidum, giardia, E. coli and shigella can be contracted by ingesting water contaminated with fecal matter. While symptoms can be as minor as diarrhea or skin, ear or eye infections, these illnesses can be fatal in people with weak immune systems.

But swimmers who want to be sure of a pool's cleanliness often must put their faith in the owner or operator. No state or local laws regulate the cleanliness of public pools in Tuscaloosa County. Federal regulations are in place, but there is no local enforcement, said Randy Dixon, assistant director of the Tuscaloosa County Park and Recreation Authority. There are no government pool inspectors, and it is up to the operators or owners of the pools to ensure the water is kept clean.

"We do not regulate pools or inspect pools, and I really don't know who does," said Greg Utley, environmental supervisor at the Tuscaloosa County Health Department.

While PARA follows the federal rules, in 2004 it installed a more stringent automated testing system at its four public pools, based on Jefferson County's regulations.

"We took the federal guidelines and adapted other processes to make sure that the community at large is safe when they visit one of our facilities," Dixon said. "I assume that Tuscaloosa County will have to step up to the plate in the future and adopt some sort of regulations."

According to CDC recommendations, a pool should have chlorine levels continuously between 1 and 3 parts per million and maintain a pH level between 7.2 to 7.8. The pH and disinfectant levels should be tested at least twice per day, or hourly when the pool is heavily used.

Having clean bathrooms with diaper changing areas at the pool facility is also important because many of the germs causing waterborne illnesses come from swimmers or infants with diarrhea. A single fecal accident can contain thousands of disease-causing germs and could contaminate an entire pool or water park, causing hundreds of cases of illness.

The number of diarrheal outbreaks linked to swimming pools is relatively low, averaging about 10 per year, according to the CDC. But that number is likely a tiny fraction of the cases that actually occur because most diarrheal illnesses are not reported to health officials.

The four PARA-run pools at Bowers Park, Freeman Park, McAbee Activity Center and Phelps Activity Center have never had a reported recreational water illness, Dixon said.

He attributes the pools' cleanliness to the automated system that was installed at the PARA pools. The computerized systems test the water's chlorine and pH levels hourly and automatically inject more chemicals when needed. All the water in the pool is re-circulated through a filter every six hours to make sure the pool is clean, Dixon said.

At the Indian Hills Country Club pool, the water is tested twice a week to make sure the chemical levels are what they should be. Pool manager Jamie Griffin said he takes the water samples to a private company to be tested. If more chlorine needs to be added, he does that manually.

Other publicly used pools, such as those at many hotels and apartment complexes, have their pool water tested by a private company or are maintained by the owners.

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By LIBBY KEELING, Health Scope
The Courier & Press

June 12, 2006

Please don't put "the P" in our "...ool."

Those words sent me into fits of giggles the first time I saw them on a strategically placed sign at the neighborhood swimming pool when I was a youngster.

But swimming hygiene and waterborne illnesses really aren't laughing matters.

Last year, nearly 4,000 people in New York contracted the gastrointestinal disease cryptosporidiosis at a state-run water park. Caused by microscopic parasites (genus Cryptosporidium), "crypto's" symptoms include diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting.

The parasites have protective outer shells that make them chlorine-resistant and enable them to live outside the body for a long time, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the body, they typically hang out in the intestines before passing in the stool. Crypto infection occurs when a person swallows the parasites, which can be found in soil, food and water, as well as on surfaces contaminated by the infected feces of a human or animal.

OK. Now that's the other "P-word" and that's even more disgusting. Finally, I know why my mother always told me not to drink the pool water.

Crypto - also found in untreated drinking water - is able to survive in swimming pools for days. Outbreaks of waterborne disease occasionally occur in the Hoosier state, according to the Indiana Department of Health. Poorly maintained recreational water venues, chlorine-resistant germs and contaminated runoff to lakes or other bodies of water can infect unsuspecting swimmers. Crypto's symptoms usually last from one to two weeks. Young children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are at the greatest risk for more serious illness.

"Water safety is not just about safe swimming," said Lynae Granzow, a health department enteric epidemiologist. "It's about following proper hygiene, whether you're in a lake, community pool or even the backyard family pool.

The Department of Health recommends several healthy swimming behaviors:

# Don't swallow pool or lake water and avoid getting the water in your mouth.

# Don't swim if you have diarrhea. You could spread germs in the water.

# Shower before swimming, and wash your hands after visiting the bathroom or changing diapers.

# Before swimming, wash children thoroughly with soap and water.

# Take children on regular bathroom breaks and change diapers often.

# Change diapers in the bathroom, not poolside. When you're planning a summer swim outing, keep health and safety in mind, and don't forget the sunscreen.

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6/5/2006
Eyewitness News Memphis

Now that most municipal and public swimming pools are open, it's officially swimming season in the Mid-South. Here are some safety tips for your family from the Memphis and Shelby County Health Department.

To prevent drowning: -Always have an adult supervise children when they are swimming or playing in the water.
-Never swim alone in locations without a lifeguard.
-Never drink alcohol when swimming, boating, water skiing or supervising children.

Swimming in contaminated water can spread some serious illnesses. Recreational water illnesses are spread by swallowing, breathing, or having contact with contaminated water from swimming pools, spas, lakes, rivers, or oceans.

One particular bacterium called Cryptosporidium can be life threatening in people with weakened immune systems. Many other waterborne illnesses (eye, skin, ear, and respiratory infections) are caused by germs that live naturally in the environment.

In the pool or hot tub, if disinfectant is not maintained at the appropriate levels, these germs can thrive and cause illness in swimmers.

Healthy swimming behaviors help prevent the spread of waterborne illness:
-Don't swim when you have diarrhea. This is especially important for kids in diapers. You can spread germs in the water and make other people sick.
-Don't swallow the pool water.
-Take a shower before swimming and wash hands after using the toilet or changing diapers. Germs on your body may end up in the water.

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5/11/2006
To: Metro Desk, Health and Features reporters
Contact: LA County Aquatics, 866-966-7665

LOS ANGELES, May 11 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Even the best maintained pools can spread illness. Since 1988, Recreational Water Illnesses (RWIs) connected with swimming pool have been on the rise. Last summer the splashpad-associated outbreak of Crypto affected almost 3,000 people in Seneca Lake, N.Y. In 1998, the waterpark outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 resulted in seven children having kidney failure, and one death.

The week proceeding Memorial Day has been designated as National Recreation Water Illness Prevention Week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. LA County Aquatics will participate in this year's observance, which takes place May 22 - 29. The focus will be on operation and prevention tips for pool operators and pool patrons to encourage a healthy swimming experience.

Swimmers may wonder -- doesn't chlorine kills germs? It does, but it doesn't work immediately, and it takes time, says L.A.C. Aquatics. The good news is that outbreaks caused by E. coli O157:H7 appear to be rare if free chlorine levels are maintained at recommended levels throughout the pool. However, germs like "Crypto" (Cryptosporidium) are resistant to chlorine and can live in swimming pools many days. Crypto can be life-threatening and sometimes fatal in persons with compromised immune systems, persons who have received an organ transplant, patients taking certain immunosuppressive drugs or those who are receiving certain types of chemotherapy. Recreational Water Illnesses like Giardia, Shigella and E. coli O157:H7 are usually spread by accidentally swallowing water that has been contaminated with fecal matter. Even spas can spread a variety of germs (e.g., Legionella and Pseudomonas) that can cause skin and respiratory illnesses if disinfectant levels are not properly maintained. Furthermore, patrons may not associate their symptoms such as diarrhea and skin rashes, the most common RWIs, because the illness can appear days after swimming.

Having a Certified Pool Operator servicing your aquatic facility can be beneficial. However, many are not aware that all facilities serviced, public or private, located in the County of Los Angeles, are not only required to have a Certified Pool/Spa Operator or other approved certification, but are also required to be a certified Los Angeles County Pool Service Technician or Swimming Pool Apprentice Technician. Many health clubs, hotels, and residential facilities are not aware and may be in violation, according to L.A.C. Aquatics. Patrons should remember to ask questions of the pool staff. Are chlorine and pH levels checked at least twice a day? Are trained operation staff available during the weekends when the pool is most heavily used? What was the health inspector's grade for the pool after its last inspection? Also, says LAC Aquatics, patrons should remember to avoid swallowing or getting pool water in your mouth. Refrain from swimming when you have diarrhea. Take children to bathroom breaks and do not change diapers at poolside.

In recognition of National Recreation Water Illness Prevention Week, L.A.C. Aquatics is offering a free pool inspection including water balance analysis to facilities until May 31 (a $75 value). For more information call 866-966-7665 or visit: http://www.lacountyaquatics.com/poolsafety.htm

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By MARCELA ROJAS
THE JOURNAL NEWS

SOUTHEAST - Several more swimmers were sickened by a parasite that may have contaminated an indoor pool on Route 22.

Wings over Water, a center where children take lessons and have birthday parties, closed last week at the recommendation of the Putnam County Health Department after two unrelated people, an adult and a child, were diagnosed with cryptosporidiosis, a gastrointestinal illness caused by a microscopic parasite called cryptosporidium. The organism is found in feces.

Since then, another five individuals, one adult and four children, tested positive for the communicable disease, according to the Putnam County Health Department. A number of people also have called with symptoms but have not been tested, said county Health Commissioner Dr. Sherlita Amler.

"We are working closely with the facility to ensure that they are in line and that everyone is safe," she said.

Officials still are investigating the source of contamination and may never know the cause, Amler said.

The 25-by-60-foot pool is being drained and already has been superchlorinated, a process that thoroughly cleans the filters and other equipment, said Melissa Flannery, program director for Wings over Water. The water was tested for cryptosporidium, and results are pending, she said.

The center is expected to reopen Thursday, Flannery said.

"Our first concern is the health and safety of our swimmers and the community," Flannery said.

More than 1,000 people who use the pool were notified by letter about the matter, and a second mailing is on the way, Flannery said. Swimmers are being asked not to return to the facility until they are symptom-free for at least two weeks, Amler said.

The most common indication of the disease is diarrhea, though nausea, vomiting, fever and headache also may occur. The illness may begin within days of exposure and persist for 14 days or less. Those with weakened immune systems may have more severe ailments.

Cryptosporidium is shed in the feces of infected humans and animals. According to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people can become infected by swallowing recreational water contaminated with cryptosporidium. The organism can survive for days, even in swimming pools with adequate chlorine levels.

Although they don't suspect the parasite of spreading to other pools, health department officials said as a precaution, they contacted the county's five other indoor swimming facilities - Green Chimneys in Patterson, Carmel Fitness and Racquet Club in Carmel, Jehovah's Witnesses' Watchtower Educational Center in Patterson, Arms Acres in Carmel and St. Basil's Academy in Garrison - to recommend that they superchlorinate their pools. Area doctors and emergency rooms in Putnam and other nearby hospitals also were told to be on the alert for patients with similar symptoms, Amler said.

"We're being very proactive," she said.

Kevin Hupp's 3-year-old daughter, Angela, had taken two swimming lessons at Wings over Water last month before the facility shut down, he said. Fortunately, he said, she has not gotten sick, though they are being cautious.

"We're obviously very concerned," said Hupp, who lives in Southeast. "But they seem to be doing the right thing, about as good as you can ask for. My daughter enjoyed the class very much."

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Health agencies urge precautions against 'crypto' parasite

By Ryan Clark
Cincinnati Enquirer staff writer
Thursday, September 1, 2005

Area health officials are urging the public to help prevent the spread of an illness found in local pools.

Cryptosporidiosis, or crypto, is a diarrhea-causing parasite that can cause stomach cramps, nausea and fever, and is passed person-to-person, said Tim Ingram, Hamilton County health commissioner.

Authorities said Wednesday that more than 180 probable and confirmed cases have been identified in Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky. The Ohio Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have sent staff members to assist in the disease investigation.

Last week, the Hamilton County Health Department linked nine cases of the parasite to swimming pools at the Powel Crosley Jr. YMCA in Springfield Township. The pools were later super-chlorinated to rid them of the parasite.

But the Hamilton County Health Commission is now teaming up with the Northern Kentucky Independent Health District to make the public aware of the issue just in time for the end of the summer.

"We want people to have a good time over the Labor Day weekend," Ingram said. "But we want people to understand it's up to them to help stop this disease."

To do so, he said, requires those who are showing symptoms of the disease to stay out of public pools. Frequent hand-washing is also encouraged.

"And swimming pools (are) not the only place the disease can be spread," Ingram said. "It is also spread through day-care centers and homes."

The parasite's symptoms generally begin two to 10 days after being infected and can last one to two weeks.

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Nine People Fall Ill, One Hospitalized

August 24, 2005
The Cincinnati Channel

SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- A dangerous parasite prompted the closing of hundreds of Hamilton County swimming pools Tuesday, and at least nine people are already sick, News 5 reports.

Eight children are ill and an adult has been hospitalized after an outbreak of cryptosporidium at Powel Crosley Y.M.C.A. in Springfield Township, health officials said.

"Crypto" will give you cramps and severe diarrhea that can last up to two weeks --- or even worse.

A severe outbreak in Milwaukee in 1993 killed 100 people when "crypto" spread into the water supply. About 400,000 people were infected.

The local water supply has been tested and given the all-clear, but Hamilton County health officials are worried that swimmers could spread the outbreak to other pools, News 5 reports. The bug is spread by ingesting fecal matter.

The Hamilton County Health Department mailed letters to 320 pool operators, asking them to put up a "No Swimming" sign for eight hours and super-chlorinate the water.

"You can't kill it with normal does of chlorine and that's what we do when we ask people to super-shock their pools," said Kathy Lordo of the Hamilton County Health Department.

At Powel Crosley, they used 10 times the normal amount of chlorine, just to be sure, and they cleaned the slides and railings, trying to reassure members.

The symptoms can be tricky, and victims and doctors may not suspect "crypto."

"You can have diarrhea for a day or two and it kind of goes off for a little bit and it may flare up again," Lordo said.

The health department is trying to track the outbreak. If you were in the Powel Crosley. pool after Aug. 1 and you've had diarrhea, call health officials at (513) 347-3273 between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. This number is not for general questions.

The best ways to avoid "crypto:"

- Wash your hands often.
- Avoid swimming.

Anyone who is infected can be contagious for up to two weeks. They are advised not to swim and not to work in daycare or restaurant facilities during that time.

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