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Cryptosporidiosis, a diarrheal disease, is caused by the microscopic parasite cryptosporidium, or crypto, and he could live in your public pool.
According to the CDC, encryption epidemics are on the rise. The number of reported outbreaks has increased on average by 13% each year from 2009 to 2017.
"Internationally, it is one of the most important pathogens to be monitored by all," said Joseph Eisenberg, Ph.D., MPH, chair director. epidemiology at the UM School of Public Health.
It only takes a few dozens of parasitic crypto eggs to infect, and it is the leading cause of waterborne illness in humans in the United States . According to Vernon Carruthers, Ph.D., a professor of microbiology and immunology at the U-M School of Medicine, an infected person can produce millions of these microscopic eggs.
"The infection is transmitted through exposure to the parasite's egg form," Carruthers says. "The parasite is then created inside the infected person and is expelled by the stool, where the cycle begins again."
Crypto often enters the body by swallowing the pool water. Swaddled babies are the main cause of parasite transfer.
Carruthers says to be wary of the hardness of these eggs: "They can live for years if they do not dry out or if you do not live in a climate that can reach freezing temperatures." The gel can kill them. Chlorine. "
In addition, the parasite is so small that it easily pbades through filters originally designed to filter out larger pests such as Girardia, according to Eisenberg.
Breeding areas
While the majority of cryptosporidiosis outbreaks are pool-related (35%), 15% are linked to livestock exposure, according to the CDC.
When exposed to the habitat of an animal, it is recommended to change clothes and take a shower to remove dirt or bacteria that may be on the skin.
In addition to swimming pools and animals, childcare facilities account for 13% of epidemics. Chlorine (or bleach) is the main barrier to transmission of pathogens.
In all categories of the epidemic, the disease disproportionately affects children aged 1 to 4 years. This may be due to the fact that young children have limited toilet skills and are more likely to ingest pool water from children's pools, water playgrounds or watering holes. other aquatic recreation sites treated.
The CDC shares healthy swimming practices that parents can use to prevent their children from spreading parasitic crypto, such as:
- Do not let a child swim when he has diarrhea or is recovering
- Take the kids to the bathroom and check the diapers every hour
- Change diapers in a bathroom or changing area, not by the pool
It is important to note that, unlike other conditions, it is difficult to prevent exposure to parasitic crypto. It is easier to teach others how to prevent its spread, if they are potentially carriers of the virus. This makes it all the more crucial to be aware of such an outbreak.
"The CDC's recommendations are primarily focused on preventing spread," said Eisenberg. "Do not swallow water is difficult when a child is active in the water and that he continually dives his head.A parent can be proactive in ensuring that the child swimming center manages the risks badociated with the pool. "
Symptoms and treatment
If you think you are already infected, the signs to look for are bloating, cramps and running diarrhea.
"Do not forget to stay hydrated," says Eisenberg. "Especially if it's a child who has diarrhea.Liquid loss can lead to more serious illness, and we can all try to avoid drinking liquids through intravenously. "
As a rule, cryptosporidiosis lasts two weeks and the average immune system can fight alone against the parasite. However, since cryptosporidiosis may occur in the form of other bacterial conditions, it is therefore important to seek treatment if the symptoms last for several days, which will allow to administer as soon as possible a pest control if necessary. .
Crypto can affect anyone, but some groups are susceptible to a more serious illness. People with weakened immune systems may even be affected, such as people living with HIV / AIDS, inherited diseases that affect the immune system, cancer patients or those who have had organ transplants and have had to re-establish their immune system.
"This disease can result in a persistent and intractable situation for these high-risk groups," Carruthers said.
He adds that parasites, like crypto, are eukaryotic cells. This makes them more similar to humans than bacteria, which are prokaryotic cells. Crypto may be more difficult to treat with an anti-parasite because it is a more complex composition.
Being properly diagnosed and treated can prevent a person from pbading on the infection, which is especially important if you share a pool with someone whose immune system is weakened.
Unlike other conditions, crypto can cause the same severity of the disease repeatedly.
"You do not build immunity against that," says Carruthers. "It's a big virus and there's not a lot of treatment options for it, but I'm optimistic about future medical breakthroughs because the parasite is being studied more closely."
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