Cryptosporidium Blog

Serum immunoglobulin G, M and A response to Cryptosporidium parvum in Cryptosporidium-HIV co-infected patients

marler@marlerclark.com (Cryptosporidium Lawyer) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:19:30 -0800

Cryptosporidium parvum, the protozoan parasite, causes a significant enteric disease in immunocompromised hosts such as HIV patients. The present study was aimed to compare serum IgG, IgM and IgA responses to crude soluble antigen of C. parvum in HIV seropositive and seronegative patients co-infected with Cryptosporidium and to correlate the responses with symptomatology.

Methods: Cryptosporidium parvum specific serum antibody (IgG, IgM and IgA) responses were assessed by ELISA in 11 HIV seropositive Cryptosporidium positive (Group I), 20 HIV seropositive Cryptosporidium negative (Group II), 10 HIV seronegative Cryptosporidium positive (Group III), 20 HIV seronegative Cryptosporidium negative healthy individuals (Group IV) and 25 patients with other parasitic diseases (Group V).

Results: A positive IgG and IgA antibody response was observed in significantly higher number of Cryptosporidium infected individuals (Gp I and III) compared to Cryptosporidium un-infected individuals (Gp II, IV and V) irrespective of HIV/immune status. Sensitivity of IgG ELISA in our study was found to be higher as compared to IgM and IgA ELISA.

The number of patients with positive IgG, IgM and IgA response was not significantly different in HIV seropositive Cryptosporidium positive patients with diarrhoea when compared to patients without diarrhoea and in patients with CD4 counts <200 when compared to patients with CD4 counts >200 cells/ul.

Conclusions: The study showed specific serum IgG and IgA production in patients infected with Cryptosporidium, both HIV seropositive and seronegative as compared to uninfected subjects suggesting induction of Cryptosporidium specific humoral immune response in infected subjects. However, there was no difference in number of patients with positive response in HIV seropositive or seronegative groups indicating that HIV status may not be playing significant role in modulation of Cryptosporidium specific antibody responses.

The number of patients with positive IgG, IgM and IgA response was not significantly different in patients with or without history of diarrhoea thereby indicating that Cryptosporidium specific antibody responses may not be necessarily associated with protection from symptomatology.

Author: Kirti KaushikSumeeta KhuranaAjay WanchuNancy Malla
Credits/Source: BMC Infectious Diseases 2009, 9:179

Spinacia oleracea L. leaf stomata harboring Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts: A potential threat for food safety

marler@marlerclark.com (Cryptosporidium Attorney) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 04:40:03 -0800

American Society for Microbiology
Dumitru Macarisin, Gary Bauchan, and Ronald Fayer

Abstract

Cryptosporidium parvum is a cosmopolitan microscopic protozoan parasite that causes severe diarrheal disease (cryptosporidiosis) in mammals, including humans and livestock. There is growing evidence of Cryptosporidium persistence in fresh produce that may result in foodborne infection, including sporadic cases as well as outbreaks. However, drinking or recreational waters are still considered the major source of cryptosporidiosis infection in humans, thereby prioritizing studies of parasite etiology in aquatic environments, while the mechanisms of transmission and parasite persistence on edible plants remain poorly understood. Using laser scanning confocal microscopy together with fluorescein-labeled monoclonal antibodies Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts were found to strongly adhere to spinach plants after contact with contaminated water, to infiltrate through the stomatal openings into spinach leaves, and to persist at the mesophyll level. These findings and the fact that this pathogenic parasite resists washing and disinfection raise concerns regarding food safety.

Settlement in the works in cryptosporidia sprayground class action

marler@marlerclark.com (Cryptosporidium Lawyer) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 01:25:13 -0800

Craig Fox of the Finger Lake Times reported today that attorneys are ready to begin negotiating an out-of-court settlement in a lawsuit that claims about 2,000 people became sick with a waterborne intestinal illness after visiting the sprayground at Seneca Lake State Park four years ago.

The suit filed with the state Attorney General’s office is against the state Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and seeks compensation for damages, including pain and suffering, medical expenses and lost wages. The class action suit involves an outbreak related to the waterborne microscopic parasite cryptosporidia — which is spread through feces — between June 1 and Aug. 17, 2005. The plaintiffs allege that the outbreak was the result of contaminated water at the spraypark, and that the parks department was negligent..

The sprayground was closed from mid-August 2005 until May 2006, until new equipment was installed to stop the water from being recycled through its many stations and to prevent another outbreak from occurring.

New York Spray Park Class Action Cryptosoridium Update

marler@marlerclark.com (Cryptosporidium Attorney) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:47:07 -0800

UPDATE: The discovery process which is the formal means of getting information to support claims in a lawsuit is now complete. We have taken depositions of the key players in the spraypark outbreak and have developed our experts’ testimony. The State has taken the depositions of a select group of claimants to better understand the nature of the damages suffered as a result of a Cryptosporidium infection. We have just filed our request for a trial date. This is a key step as it will force the case to a conclusion. Because it is a claim against the State of New York, any trial will be before a judge in the Court of Claims. We have been assigned a judge from the beginning who has been involved in the process of the case to this point and who would hear the case if it goes to trial.

In any effort to resolve the claims and avoid a trial however, we have also agreed to mediate these claims. The State has also agreed and the judge has ordered both sides to request a mediation with one of the other Court of Claims judges. A mediation is a voluntary settlement effort in which representatives of both sides meet with a neutral mediator who tried to get the sides to reach common ground. We hope the mediation will occur before the end of the year, and certainly before the end of January. To explain what class claimants have been through we will have both a great deal of documentary information as well as class representatives to explain to the mediator what a cryptosporidiosis infection is like. All issues, including legal responsibility for the outbreak, will be discussed at the mediation. The mediator does not have the power to compel either side to take action, but he can certainly provide insight given that the case would be heard by a fellow Court of Claims judge. We know that the State will contest its legal responsibility for the outbreak as well as damages we will claim on behalf of class members. But the mediation is intended to provide an opportunity for compromise that provide benefits to both sides.

We expect that if the State is willing to entertain a monetary settlement of claims, we will group similar claimants together in terms of the extent and severity of illness in order to treat similar claims in a like manner. Of course, each person’s experience is different, but a class action works because it addresses large numbers of claimants whose experiences are similar. We expect that there may be several levels of monetary settlement depending on the injuries suffered. Any outcome that provides for compensation to class members will result in a written notice about the proposed settlement to individual class members.

We believe we are now in the final stages of the class action. If we cannot resolve the claims at mediation, we are prepared to try the case. This will not require the involvement at trial of class members as comprehensive information about the claims will provided to the judge. We will have further updates as we near mediation.

South Wales Pool Makes 30 Sick With Crypto; Eight Being Held In Isolation

marler@marlerclark.com (Cryptosporidium Lawyer) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:37:09 -0800

The British call them the "wet activities," which apparently refers to just about anything that can be done in a swimming pool.

In the South Wales town of Merthyr Tydfil the town has a deck level competition size swimming pool complete with electronic score boards for keeping track of those in-water competitive events.

There's both an adjoining learning pool and a leisure pool that comes with flume , spa bath, & water features. Oh, and did we tell you that all the pools are combatting the outbreak of the parasite cryptosporidium?

Eight swimmers who used the Merthyr Tydfil pool are now being kept in isolation after being struck by the crypto parasite.

Health officials traced the outbreak to a pool party at the town’s leisure centre two weeks ago, but were quick to reassure residents the pool is now clear of the disease.

More than 30 of the 46 people who attended the party complained of illness after swimming in the pool.

Dr Gwen Lowe, consultant in communicable disease control, at the National Public Health Service Wales, said: “A likely source of this outbreak of illness is a faecal accident.

“Our advice is that anyone who has vomiting or diarrhoea from any cause should not swim for two weeks after their symptoms have settled.”

Washington University in St. Louis Provides Tell All On Cryptosporidium

marler@marlerclark.com (Cryptosporidium Attorney) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:52:52 -0800

The School of Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis is the publisher for the "Hospital Medicine Virtual Journal." It just published "up to date review of the biology, biochemistry and host parasite relationships of Cryptosporidium."

The complete summary is found below and one may visit the HMVJ for more.

Cryptosporidium is one of the most common enteric protozoan parasites of vertebrates with a wide host range that includes humans and domestic animals. It is a significant cause of diarrhoeal disease and an ubiquitous contaminant of water which serves as an excellent vehicle for transmission. A better understanding of the development and life cycle of Cryptosporidium, and new insights into its phylogenetic relationships, have illustrated the need to re-evaluate many aspects of the biology of Cryptosporidium. This has been reinforced by information obtained from the recent successful Cryptosporidium genome sequencing project, which has emphasised the uniqueness of this organism in terms of its parasite life style and evolutionary biology. This chapter provides an up to date review of the biology, biochemistry and host parasite relationships of Cryptosporidium.

CDC Advise For Dallas Back Yard Pool Owners Might Be Good For Other Hotspots

marler@marlerclark.com (Cryptosporidium Lawyer) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:45:11 -0800

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has released a bulletin encouraging pool cleaning of Dallas pools on a weekly basis to prevent recreational water illnesses (RWI's). The announcement comes after a study concluded that the number of outbreaks of RWI's has been increasing each year for the past decade. Regular pool cleaning and maintenance are the most effective way known to prevent them.

The CDC issues similar warnings every year for public pools, but this is the first time they are focusing on homeowners and asking them to be aware of the dangers. RWI's include gastrointestinal, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurological and wound infections. The most commonly reported RWI is diarrhea and it is often caused when children swallow contaminated or dirty water while swimming.

It is recommended as part of the weekly process that you test the water quality, add chemicals to achieve the proper PH balance, and brush and vacuum your pool thoroughly. Checking the operation of filtering and cleaning devices is also recommended. If you don't have the time or knowledge to do all of this yourself it is recommended that you hire a Dallas pool cleaning service to do it for you.

Dallas wasn't the only city mentioned in the CDC announcement. They are actually recommending that all homeowners be more vigilant in the upkeep and maintenance of their swimming pools. Cities in warmer climates were said to be at higher risk due to the elevated growth pace of dangerous bacteria such as Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Shigella, norovirus and E. coli O157:H7.

If you are a Dallas homeowner with a swimming pool and one of your children is ill, contact your family doctor right away. RWI's are generally not fatal but can be extremely uncomfortable if not treated with the proper antibiotics and medications. To prevent them, keep your pool clean and have a regular Dallas pool cleaning service or maintenance company come over on a regular schedule to make sure all of your equipment is working properly.

Wisconsin City Closes And Then Re-Opens Popular Fountain That Is Not Treated and Sanitized To Public With Lot's of Warning Signs

marler@marlerclark.com (Cryptosporidium Attorney) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:15:37 -0800

City officials in Neenah, WS this week restarted a popular fountain in Shattuck Park, but at the same time imposed tougher rules to prohibit kids from playing in it.

According to the local Post-Crescent newspaper, here's what happened:

The city posted signs July 22 warning people to stay out of the Shattuck fountain for health and safety reasons and then shut down the fountain indefinitely later that day after park visitors defiantly ignored the signs.

The water in the fountain is not treated and sanitized to the same degree as drinking water or swimming pool water, and officials are concerned with the risks associated with waterborne pathogens like cryptosporidium and giardia.

Eileen McCoy, director of parks and recreation, said additional warning signs were posted Tuesday to emphasize the change in policy.

"It is going to be more in your face," McCoy said of the additional signs. "We will see if that is more effective."

Neenah officials billed the fountain as an interactive water feature when it was built in 2005.

The sudden turnabout stemmed from a better understanding of how people were using the fountain and of how waterborne illnesses can spread.

Neenah is putting $45,000 in its 2010 budget for ultraviolet lighting systems for fountains at both Shattuck and Riverside parks.

The city is taking the steps to maintain its recreational immunity under Wisconsin law.

Fear By Beer-makers About EPA Forced Change To Portland's Bull Run Waters

marler@marlerclark.com (Cryptosporidium Attorney) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:43:09 -0800

Portland's brewmasters say its wrong for the federal Environmental Protection Agency to apply one standard to all open drinking water systems across the entire United States.

But forcing all open public water operations to install filtration systems by 2014 is EPA's answer to the the spring 1993 cryptosporidium outbreak in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. EPA does not want to make any exceptions to its one-size-fits-all mandate.

Station KGW captured reaction to the coming deadline to filter water from Portland's pristine Bull Run Watershed this past weekend at the city's 22nd annual beer festivill.

"We have wonderful composition water -- the way it comes to us is perfect," said Kurt Widmer, co-founder of Widmer Brothers Brewing. He wonders why on earth anyone would want to tamper with perfection.

Brewmaster Karl Ockert with Bridgeport Ales wonders how a change will affect flavor. "It might jeopardize the delivery and the performance of the water," Ockert speculated.

Even the environmental group Oregon Wild questions the need for filtering the Bull Run waters. It says:

The Bull Run Watershed enjoys unique federal legislative protections. The Bull Run is a forested and undeveloped watershed on federal land, with restrictions on logging and entry of human and domestic animals (sources of viruses, bacteria and protozoa). These stringent watershed protections, some in place for over one hundred years and some legislated as recently as 2001, have increasingly been recognized by the EPA and the drinking water industry as the most cost effective strategy for protection of superb water quality. There have never been any demonstrated outbreaks of cryptosporidium associated with Bull Run water. LT2 (the filtration rule) completely disregards the effectiveness of a closed, pristine, water source like Bull Run in preventing disease outbreaks.

It somewhat ironic to note that the Milwaukee outbreak was caused by cryptosporidium oocysts that passed through the filtration system of one of the city's water-treatment plant. More than 400,000 were stricken by the crypto parasite.

Virginia's Rye Valley Water Authority Mum For 11 Months About Water Gone Bad

marler@marlerclark.com (Cryptosporidium Attorney) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:32:48 -0800

In Virginia, the Rye Valley Water Authority is being accused of going almost a year before telling the public that its water had gone bad. The Bristol Herald Courier reports on how that's got the whole community of Sugar Grove up in arms.

Michael Ward stood up at a community meeting to declare he had diarrhea eight times last year – a peculiar public announcement, but one met with gratitude by dozens of his neighbors, who had squeezed into a muggy gymnasium for the June gathering. Ward was expressing their commonly held fear – that their drinking water had been making them sick for months.

That angry community meeting came after a June 11th notice by the Rye Valley Water Authority telling people that coliform bacteria was in their water. In the "boil water" warning, the district said the danger could extend for the next 18 months advised that “In July 2008 Rye Valley Water Authority began noticing changes in our untreated or raw water testing results.”

The newspaper explained the danger this way:

Found naturally in the intestines of warm-blooded animals, coliform is used as a standard measure of fecal-matter pollutants in drinking water. Its presence in the Rye Valley system indicates that surface water might have infiltrated the water source, which is an underground spring, and quite possibly brought along other parasites such as giardia lamblia and cryptosporidium. Those parasites can cause diarrhea, headaches, even death in the most severe cases.

The boil water order caused some local restaurants to close. The Bristol Herald Courier has more on the controversy.

Ultraviolet Water Treatment Emerges As Way To Fight Cryptosporidium

marler@marlerclark.com (Cryptosporidium Lawyer) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:47:27 -0800

New York has a new water safety regulation. It’s found in Section 6-3.11 and says: “Ultraviolet light disinfection is required in addition to approved Chemical disinfectant.”

A company in Northwest England ---atg UV Technology—tells how that new NY regulation came about:

Following major outbreaks in Northampton, Galway, Utah and New York, Cryptosporidium has become a major concern for the leisure industry. Commonly found in lakes and rivers, waterborne pathogen Cryptosporidium, has a thick outer shell, making it highly resistant to traditional methods of chemical disinfection such as chlorine, vastly increasing the risk of infection and illness, that can often prove fatal in the young, elderly and the immunocompromised.

Due to the resistant nature of Cryptosporidium and the scale of health problems caused, the need for increased protection is now at the top of the agenda. With traditional methods failing to provide adequate protection, atg UVs' range of technologically advanced water treatment systems are the obvious choice for water treatment engineers committed to resolving this threat.

So large was the scale of the problem in New York, approximately 4,000 patrons of an aquatic facility became infected with Cryptosporidium and consequently took out legal action. The New York Department of Health was forced to re-think their entire water treatment strategy. Calling upon their experience in the drinking water industry to find a solution to the growing threat, they concluded that the risk of an outbreak could be greatly reduced by the use of “Ultraviolet treatment systems.”

Working closely with atg UV, the New York Department of Health invested in a range of state-of-the-art UV treatment systems to safeguard public health. Additionally, atg UV biodose tested a number of UV systems, gaining regulatory approval for their effectiveness against Cryptosporidium and other waterborne pathogens. Ultimately the inclusion of UV treatment systems is now firmly entrenched within New York’s water safety legislation for a range of leisure facilities.

And that's how UV treatment came to America!

Heritage Park Fountain Shutting Down Twice Daily, But Does Anyone Tell Swimmers Not To Poop In The Water?

marler@marlerclark.com (Cryptosporidium Lawyer) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 14:04:24 -0800

In an editorial that went along way toward explaining to the public what's really going on at Olympia, Washington's Heritage Park Fountain, the Daily Olympian still fell too short of providing the public with a real education about the dangers of "swimming" in such facilities.

Here's the crux of what the Olympian said:

"No one ever thought that the fountain, made with green granite from New York, would accommodate up to 300 youngsters at a time.

And those youngsters bring an assortment of dirt, grime and other grit with them when they splash in the water.

City workers cannot use chlorine to disinfect the water because it would corrode the brass piping of the fountain. Instead they use bromine, which kills germs and bacteria just like chlorine, but does not harm the piping.

But the quality of water, which recirculates through an underground, 5,000-gallon tank, deteriorates quickly. The sun evaporates the bromine, which is also broken down by sunscreen and carried off on the bodies of the bathers. That’s why the fountain must be shut down during the hottest part of the day to recharge bromine levels.

“Why not shut it down in the middle of the night?” ask critics.

Simple answer. In the middle of the night no one is using the fountain, the sun is not evaporating the bromine and the levels of disinfectant stay constant, actually building as the water recirculates."

Washington's Capitol City newspaper then goes into a lot of history of the 47 nozzle pools with jets shooting 40 into there air. No where do they provide the information they should have told swimmers and parents of toddlers who do. From the Centers on Disease Control and Prevention, we will fill in that huge gap:

Three Steps for All Swimmers

Keep germs from causing recreational water illnesses (RWIs)

Please don't swim when you have diarrhea. You can spread germs in the water and make other people sick.
Please don't swallow the pool water. Avoid getting water in your mouth.
Please practice good hygiene. Shower with soap before swimming and wash your hands after using the toilet or changing diapers. Germs on your body end up in the water.

Three Steps for Parents of Young Kids

Keep germs out of the pool:

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 in and around the pool.
Please wash your child thoroughly (especially the rear end) with soap and water before they go swimming. Invisible amounts of fecal matter can end up in the pool.

Next time, Olympian, just tell people not to poop in the fountain nor let their toddlers do so!

"Diapered children frequently sat on top of splash features"---MMWR Gets To The Bottom Of 2007 Crypto Outbreak In Meridian, Idaho .

marler@marlerclark.com (Cryptosporidium Attorney) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:18:55 -0800

The 2007 closure of the splash park in Meridian, Idaho's popular Settler's Park after the chlorine-resistant parasite Cryptosporidium began making people sick gets an autopsy in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) for June 12, 2009.

MMWR, published by the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), say Meridian "reopened the splash park in 2008 after installation of an ultraviolet treatment system, improvement of hygiene facilities, hiring of attendants to monitor for nonhygienic behaviors by visitors, and posting of educational signs instructing visitors not to drink the splash-feature water."

Health officials first learned of the problem at the Idaho splash poark when they learned of the complaints of "several ill persons with watery diarrhea consistent with cryptosporidiosis after attendance at a municipal splash park on July 26."

MMWR reports that: "The initial investigation by CDHD and IDHW began on August 7 with interviews of 20 persons who attended a party at the splash park on July 26. Among those 20 persons, 12 reported gastrointestinal illness that began August 1--6 (6--11 days after exposure), including eight persons who reported watery diarrhea. All 12 ill persons reported exposure to splash-feature water, and six reported exposure to water from a nearby drinking fountain. No food items at the party were implicated as the source of the outbreak. Investigators hypothesized that swallowing contaminated splash park water was the source of illness."

Additional investigation found that while there were no deaths nor over-night hospital stays, at least 45 people were ill from the crypto. As to the cause: "During an initial site inspection, young children were observed to be the predominant users of the splash park, and diapered children frequently sat on top of splash features. Soap was not available in nearby restrooms, nor were showers. Public health education signs were not posted at the park. The splash park did not have any standing water; investigators noted that water drained from a concrete deck, passed through a high-flow sand filter, and was chlorinated before recirculation through several splash features."

See the complete report in MMWR.

Colorado City Keeps Water Off Until It Can Comply With Swimming Pool Regulations At New Public Fountain

marler@marlerclark.com (Cryptosporidium Attorney) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:15:36 -0800

The City of Arvada, the 100,000 plus suburb that fills in much of the space between Denver and Boulder counties in Colorado, boasts an "Olde Town" dating back to 1870. Its been the subject of an intense urban renewal focus in recent years that has brought office, retail, and housing investment to the area.

The Olde Town Plaza includes a new water fountain in a space adjacent to a new Jefferson County Public Library. On its website, the city recently announced that fountain "will remain off until further notice. We apologize for any inconvenience."

However, in the letter to Olde Town's merchants, the city explained the situation. "Public health officials have increased standards for "interactive fountains," which unfortunately, the Old Town fountain does not meet." The letter said that with a holding tank of only 1,500 gallons and the extensive human contact with the fountain, it "has become a de facto swimming pool" with risk to public health and safety. Risk from E. coli and Cryptosporidium were specifically mentioned as "potentially fatal" water borne diseases that concern the city.

In the letter, Arvada said other Colorado cities were having similar concerns for their water features.

Arvada is estimating it might cost $700,000 to add a proper filtration system, showers and rest rooms to the outdoor public space. The Colorado Department of Health regulations Arvada is applying can be found here.

It is worth noting, the regulations are not new, but there application is. It is just another example of how health department in the West are looking for ways to fight Crypto before it again overcomes them.

Swimming Pools Are Being Closed Once A Week In Name of Water Quality And Fighting Cryptosporidium

marler@marlerclark.com (Cryptosporidium Attorney) — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:12:02 -0800

Last season's cryptosporidium outbreak across North Texas means there are going to be some changes at the local swimming pool this summer.

Like its bigger city neighbors of Dallas and Fort Worth, the City of Arlington, TX is going to fight cryptosporidium with a rotating one day a week closure of its swimming pools during the 2009 season.

The Arlington Star Telegram reports that:

Starting June 6, all six of Arlington’s outdoor pools and water parks will be closed one day a week for maintenance and cleaning. On any given day from Monday through Wednesday, only four pools will be open. But all will be open Thursday through Sunday, the peak swimming days.

The new schedule aims to improve water quality, provide time off for employees and save the city money on operating expenses, Parks Assistant Director Bill Gilmore said.

"All pools need a chance to refresh themselves," he said. "We don’t believe anybody will suffer, because there are other options."

Also In response to the Cryptosporidium outbreak last summer, the Texas city is installing signs at its public water parks and pools urging people not to swim if they have diarrhea. Crypto is a chlorine-resistant parasite that, if ingested, can cause stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea and fever for up to two weeks. It is found in feces and is usually spread through water.

A few more details can be found here.

Parasites In Pennsylvania: Can Summer Be Far Behind?

marler@marlerclark.com (Cryptosporidium Lawyer) — Tue, 12 May 2009 15:58:55 -0800

Officals in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania have anounced that 3 individuals have beenconfirmed with cryptosporidium. While public swimming pools are common source of

cryptosporidium outbreaks, there is reportedly no evidence of such a connection here. None of the ill individuals had public pool exposures. Officials are still investigating to possible source of the cluster of illnesses.

Symptoms of cryptosporidium generally occur 2 to 10 days after exposure. Symptoms include abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever, and dehydration. The symptoms usually last 1 to 2 weeks, although they may last up to 4 weeks. Persons with compromised immune system are at risk for more severe complications.

Swim Diapers Do Not Cut The Crypto From Spreading In Pools And Water Parks

marler@marlerclark.com (Cryptosporidium Lawyer) — Tue, 12 May 2009 09:24:48 -0800

Swim diapers do not prevent the spread of Cryptosporidium (Crypto) in swimming pools and water parks, according to a new University of North Carolina (UNC) - Charlotte study

Researchers found swim diapers may slow the release of disease-causing germs, but the benefits are short-lived.

Crypto is spread when swimmers ingest some water that has been contaminated by diarrhea from infected people or mammals. To prevent the spread of Crypto, the UNC-Charlotte reseachers advise that people should not get in the water if they have diarrhea.

During the last couple of summers, Crypto outbreaks have closed swimming pools and water parks throughout the Midwest and West, especially in Utah, Arizona, and Texas. A common follow up to such outbreaks has been the banning of diaper-wearing, but usually permitting so-called swim diapers. According to UNC-Charlotte:

The researchers measured the amount of microspheres that released from swim diapers worn by children. The microspheres have a similar size (five microns) to that of Crypto. Normal swim trunks, common disposable diapers and reusable diapers with and without vinyl diaper covers were tested. Swimming trunks without a swim diaper of any kind had the poorest performance - almost 90 percent of the microspheres were released into the water within one minute.

Swim diapers released about 50 percent of the microspheres within one minute. A vinyl diaper cover placed over a disposable swim diaper slightly improved performance. Still, over 25 percent were released into the water within two minutes. "When a fecal accident contains about a billion disease-causing Crypto oocysts, hundreds of millions of oocysts get into the water within minutes," explains Dr. James Amburgey, the lead scientist in the study. "Swimmers only need to ingest about ten Crypto oocysts to become infected."

Crypto is a parasite that causes severe diarrhea and dehydration. More about the study and where it will be next discussed can be found here.

New Cryptosporidium-Fighting Treatment Plant Comes To Joplin, MO

marler@marlerclark.com (Cryptosporidium Lawyer) — Thu, 07 May 2009 18:33:49 -0800

Joplin, MO just got itself a twofer. A new water treatment facility will add an extra five million gallons of clean water a day for economic development AND it will inactivate the cryptosporidium bacteria with ultra violet light.

Joplin celebrated the new water treatment plant Thursday with a ribbon cutting. Joplin's water is provided by St. Louis-based Missouri American Water, which provides utility services in 19 states and has invested $1.5 billion in new facilities in the past three years.

Christie Barnhart of Missouri American Water says this plant is also using new ultaviolet light technology.

"Specifically, the ultra violet light is the only form of treatment that inactivates a bacteria known as cryptosporidium and the use of UV treatment for surface water plants is an upcoming EPA regulation," says Barnhart. "So this is something that definitely does enhance water quality."

The new facility also improves Joplin's disinfection and filter systems. The community decided to hold the ribbon cutting now in honor of National Drinking Water Week. Joplin is located in southwest Missouri, not far from the borders of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.

Mayor of Virginia Town Finds Himself "Doing A Little Side-step" As Crypto Brings "Boil Water" Order

marler@marlerclark.com (Cryptosporidium Lawyer) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 12:18:57 -0800

The town well in Buchanan, VA is at risk due to Cryptosporidium, which is not killed by the chlorination process.

So the town is living with a "boil water" order and city council meetings are getting mean. And instead of talking about the Crypto in the water , Mayor Tom Middlecamp is talking up what's not in the water.

The mayor told residents that tests from April 7th indicate the town's RAW water has no traces of e.coli or total coliform.

Middlecamp said he had met with county leaders looking for a solution.

"I don't have any specifics to tell you right now because I don't know specifics, but as soon as I know. You'll be the first to know," says Middlecamp.

Buchanan is a town of 1,200 in Botetourt County located northeast of Roanoke. After the "boil water" order was issued, 300 town angry residents turned out for the April 2nd city council meeting, and Buchanan has been in a mini uproar ever since.

The Roanoke Times has a story about it here.

Down-Under University Researchers Find One Person Could Be Responsible For Sydney's Big Crypto Outbreak

marler@marlerclark.com (Cryptosporidium Attorney) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:37:59 -0800

Sydney, Australia is undergoing an outbreak of Cryptosporidium that in a little more than a month has made 628 people sick. All of last year, the water rich city saw only 482 cases of Crypto.

And now the Star newspaper is reporting that the Sydney's entire cryptosporidium outbreak may be linked to a single infected person.

The latest genetic testing means it is unlikely that an infected animal or environmental conditions like the weather are to blame.

According to the Star, Macquarie University researchers say their testing is experimental, and unlikely to identify the origin of the current outbreak, but they hope their work will lead to the development of a world-leading, inexpensive automated test to quickly identify parasite strains involved in future outbreaks, allowing sources to be rapidly traced and infections contained.

Michelle Power, of Macquarie's biological sciences department, told the Star cryptosporidium outbreaks were difficult to trace using existing technology.

For more on what they are finding out down-under, the rest of the Star story can be found here.