Uptade on Cryptosporidium from Dennis Tesch

      Hi Everyone.... Yesterday I attended a discussion panel "Cryptosporidium: What Do Public Entities Need to Know?" It was very informative and I wanted share with all of you some of the highlights I took from the meeting. The panelist talking at the meeting where: … Teresa Gray, Environmental Health Scientist and Bureau Manager, Water Quality and Hazardous Waste, Salt Lake Valley Health Department … Ron Tobler, Environmental Health Scientist and Program Manager, Utah County Health Department … Garth Miner, Environmental Sanitarian, Utah Department of Health, Environmental Sanitation Program … Renee Calanan, CDC Epidemiologist, Utah Department of Health, Epidemic Intelligence Service There were also about 40 people from all over the state who operate or own swimming facilities. I will try to highlight some of the things I found interesting and then again list what the state is asking all the pools to do to help prevent another outbreak of cryptoä … It has now been determined and that people ages 10 ‚ 19 where the demographic that contributed the most to the spread of crypto this past summer. This means that most likely this group was our USS teams and pre comp teams that spend a lot of time in the water and travel from pool to pool during competing against other teams. For some reason there was a perception that kids under 5 where the main contributor to the spread of crypto, it turns out that they were just the ones who got sick from it the most. Most parents will take kids into the doctor sooner than adults will see a physician and many adults will not see a physician with the same kind of symptoms. Many people (adults) do not always develop symptoms, but still spread the disease. Also, most physicians will not run a crypto test on adults, but will with children. … The new UV Light systems, Ozone, and Sea Clear methods of getting rid of crypto from pools help, but they will not stop people from getting crypto. They will help clean and make a pool safer after crypto enters the pool than traditional systems, but if you are in a pool when there is crypto present, you run a risk of catching it. These methods are purely reactionary and only kill the parasite many hours after it enters the water. They are a great way of killing the parasite over night so the pool is clean the next morning, but they do nothing while you are in the pool. (early morning swims are probably the safest times to swim) … I will be frank and tell you the best way to help stop the spread of this disease is proper showering and washing of your bottom area. I hate to say it, but most teams, and yes masters teams, rarely shower before entering the pool. We need to start getting use to taking proper showers before entering the pool. This means a "naked" soapy wash of your entire body. All it takes is one person (crypto infected) who didn't wipe very well to enter the pool and crypto is present. Even the best wiper will still have small amounts of fecal matter that could potentially wash off in the pool. I think showering is more important during the summer months when more people have had exposure to outdoor reservoirs, lakes, rivers, swampy areas where this parasite is typically contracted. It is even more important when the pools are crowded. … The health department will be running ads, radio spots, and news articles this spring and summer in hopes to educate our public on this issue. It is also up to us to help educate our teams and other participants at the pool about the seriousness of this parasite. An ounce of prevention will go a lot further than keeping people out of the pool and 100,000 dollars spent of new filtration systems. Here are the recommendations from the health department concerning cyrpto. Officials emphasize that people who use pools have a responsibility to help prevent a crypto outbreak by following the guidelines below - most importantly, by not swimming when they have diarrhea and not letting their children swim with diarrhea. Ä Do not swim if you have diarrhea. Ä Wait two weeks after diarrhea has stopped before swimming. Ä Take a shower with soap and water before swimming (referred to as a "cleansing shower"). Ä Do not swallow pool water or get pool water into your mouth. Ä Wash your hands with soap and water after using the bathroom or changing a diaper. Ä Take regular bathroom breaks while swimming. Ä Change diapers often. Change diapers in the bathroom, not at the poolside Ä Wash your child's bottom with soap and water after changing a diaper and then wash your hands with soap and water.