Parasites in Pools Are on the Rise.

Parasites in Pools Are on the Rise. A parasite called cryptosporidium, or crypto, may contaminate pools and water parks and is spread by contact with the feces of an infected person The number of outbreaks of a diarrhea-causing infection has doubled from 16 to 32 cases in the U.S. in just two years, from 2014 to 2016, records from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show Experts say hyperchlorination is required in pools contaminated by crypto, but chlorine poisoning from the liquid or gas form may cause other potentially toxic side effects. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC’s) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)1 noted that when they sought medical attention, the diarrhea sufferers learned the pool water they ingested contained parasites and that the parasites, known as cryptosporidium, or crypto, now resided in them. Crypto is the most common cause of such diarrhea outbreaks, made worse because the parasite can survive for as long as 10 days even in chlorinated water and is “notoriously difficult to kill.” It hasn’t been just in the last handful of years that this problem seems to be multiplying. The CDC reports that the parasite is found in every region of the U.S. and throughout the world. Swallowing a single mouthful of water is all it takes for someone to find themselves knotted up with stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and profuse, watery diarrhea that can last up to two to three weeks, during which, not surprisingly, dehydration is common. Reports also shows that crypto can spread when people come into contact with the feces of an infected person, the CDC asserts that it can also come from an animal, and that millions of cryptosporidium parasites can be released in a single bowel movement. This shows that not just pools, but hot tubs, spas and other water venues can also pose a problem. more