Today is Friday, But this Last Tuesday you decided to visit your favorite sushi restaurant. Upon departure you felt a little queezy and attributed it to the raw “sea steak”. The next day was a shit storm. With a call and a complaint to that restaurant you received a meal credit. But what you may not have known is that you didn’t get sick from sushi, you got sick from Johhny, your dog while swimming in your swimming pool. Crytosperidium may survive for 2 to 6 months in a moist environment. Direct transmission between animals or humans is common because action is not often taken.
The human infections of Crytosperidium have an incubation period of 1 to 12 days; 7 days is typical. So identifying this disease is commonly difficult. Now the bad news; there is currently no cure for Crytosperidium. Cryptosporidium enteritis is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the parasite cryptosporidium. The main symptom is diarrhea but there are many side effects. The major risk factor is swallowing water contaminated with fecal matter. How can this be limited? EASY! Listen to your pool service technician. A swimming pool should allow a “complete cycle turn” to occur that will help eliminate materials 2 times in a given day. In other words this means your entire pool contents pass through your filter twice, every day, to help eliminate the risk of spreading disease.
There are many factors that will agitate Crytosperidium. One being a dirty filter! The most common; a “filter cartridge”, is designed to remove impurities out of your water. Manufacturers recommend replacing ALL elements every 18-24 months. Think of it like this: Your filter is a “trash can” for your pool water. The more debris you accumulate in your trash can, the less it can hold. Like all trash cans you should clean them out so you can store more trash. Now let me demand you use one bag for 18-24 months. Could you keep this bag clean? 1 week, 1 month, how about 5 years? The answer is simple; No chance. So don’t risk your health.
OK Scary man,
Can’t I just wait another 18-24 months?
Length:
In healthy people, the infection will clear up but can last up to a month. In people who are immunosuppressed, prolonged diarrhea may cause loss of body weight and malnutrition.
Outbreaks have been linked to:
Drinking from contaminated public water supplies
Drinking unpasteurized cider
Swimming in contaminated pools and lakes
Treatment:
There is no one treatment for cryptosporidium enteritis.
Causes:
In these groups, this diarrheal infection is not just bothersome. It also can lead to severe, and potentially life-threatening, loss of muscle and body mass (wasting) and malnutrition.
Those at higher risk:
Animal handlers
People in close contact with infected individuals
Young children
