A poop-borne parasite that spreads through pool water is in Marion County - Indianapolis Star

A poop-borne parasite that spreads through pool water is in Marion County - Indianapolis Star

A poop-borne parasite that spreads through pool water is in Marion County - Indianapolis Star

Posted: 03 Jul 2019 12:00 AM PDT

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Crypto is a nasty parasite sometimes found in pool and splash pad water. Columnist Joanna Allhands offers 4 tips to swim safe. Diana Payan/azcentral.com

A hard-to-kill parasite that spreads through the feces of infected humans or animals has arrived in Marion County and is on the rise throughout the United States.

The Marion County Public Health Department has confirmed 18 cases of cryptosporidiosis, often referred to as "crypto," so far this year. That's 10 more than at this time last year.

Jason Ravenscroft, supervisor of the Pools, Septic and Wells Program for the Marion County Public Health Department, said the disease most commonly appears in pools but can also be contracted through interaction with animals, drinking raw milk or interaction with other infected people. 

Crypto is the leading cause of disease outbreaks in the country linked to water, specifically outbreaks linked to pools or water playgrounds.

The reason that crypto is tough to manage and can live in pools for long periods of time is because it has an outer shell that protects it from chlorine, Ravenscroft said. Even in chlorine pools, crypto can survive for about 10 days.

"It's challenging from the standpoint that even in properly chlorinated pools where everything looks fine ... they could still have crypto in them if somebody that was sick got in the pool, and especially if they had an accidental fecal release in them,"  Ravenscroft said. "The best thing that patrons can do is not swim when they're sick."

He added that because most people don't go to the doctor when they have diarrhea — a primary crypto symptom — it can be difficult to know if it's the result of crypto or not.

Other symptoms include stomach cramps or pain, dehydration, nausea, vomiting, fever and weight loss. Symptoms can last one or two weeks.

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News of the local cases comes just days after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a report stating that crypto outbreaks nationwide have increased by an average of 13% each year from 2009 to 2017.

The report describes 444 outbreaks in that time frame resulting in 7,465 people falling ill, 287 people hospitalized and one fatality.

Ravenscroft said while crypto cases typically do not end in death, individuals who are immunocompromised or going through chemotherapy are at a greater risk.

According to the CDC report, 35% of the crypto outbreaks were linked to treated swimming water in places like pools and water playgrounds. The rest of the cases describe many situations that are common in the Midwest during fair season and throughout the summer.

Another 15% of cases were linked to contact with cattle, particularly nursing calves, and 13% were linked to contact with infected people in childcare settings. About 3% of cases were linked to drinking unpasteurized milk or apple cider.

Places to beat the heat: List of Indianapolis-area pools and splash pads

Officials also warn that children are both the most at-risk of contracting, and passing, cryptosporidiosis.

"Young children can get seriously sick and easily spread crypto. They don't know how to use the toilet and wash their hands, or are just learning how," Michele Hlavsa, chief of CDC's Healthy Swimming Program, said in a statement. "But we as parents can take steps to help keep our kids healthy in the water, around animals, and in childcare."

Ravenscroft said the challenge is even greater with diaper-aged children because swim diapers can't keep everything contained if a child has a fecal release in the pool. 

"Nobody wants to be the parent that gets the pool closed down, but nobody wants to be the parent to cause an outbreak either," he said. "If your child does poop in the pool, get them out and tell the pool operator because if they don't know about it, they don't have the opportunity to treat that pool."

Ravenscroft said it can take between one and three days to treat a pool where contamination has been detected. 

As the risk of crypto looms, here are a few safety tips from the Marion County Public Health Department and the CDC:

  • Do not let individuals with diarrhea swim or use public pools.
  • If diagnosed with cryptosporidiosis, wait two weeks after diarrhea completely stops before swimming.
  • Do not swallow the water you swim in.
  • Children sick with diarrhea should be kept at home and away from childcare.
  • Wash hands with soap and water after coming in contact with animals or anything in their environment, especially animal feces. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are ineffective against crypto.
  • Remove shoes worn in animal environments before entering a home or other indoor environments.
  • Only buy and consume pasteurized milk and apple cider.

Call IndyStar reporter Justin L. Mack at 317-444-6138. Follow him on Twitter: @justinlmack.

Read or Share this story: https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/indianapolis/2019/07/03/18-cryptosporidiosis-cases-reported-indianapolis/1638648001/

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