Warning 'crypto' fecal parasite that can live for days in swimming pools

The parasite's full name is cryptosporidium. It causes cryptosporidiosis, which can leave healthy adults suffering from "profuse, watery diarrhea" for as long as three weeks. The effects can be worse for children, pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems.

"The number of treated recreational water-associated outbreaks caused by cryptosporidium drives the summer seasonal peak in both waterborne cryptosporidiosis outbreaks and cryptosporidiosis outbreaks overall," according to a statement from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

CDC issues warning on 'crypto' fecal parasite that can live for days in swimming pools

The good news is only one person has died from it since 2009. The bad news is if you get it you will wish you were dead.

You can catch it from animals, mainly cattle. You can also get it from unpasteurized milk, apple cider, really anything that has been contaminated with poo. Chlorine in a properly treated pool won't kill it and it can survive in the pool for up to 7 days.



So don't forget:

As for pools, anyone suffering diarrhea should avoid swimming until at least two weeks after their diarrhea subsides, the CDC says.

Oh, Lordie. Just go to the swimming baths and have a good time.

Not only could you catch some bug in the swimming pool, you could get in a car crash on the way, or trip over the curb and ruin your good looks. Too many hazards in life. Best stay at home, get fat and get heart disease and diabetes and die well before your time.

I have read about these little critters lately and they can live in swimming pools as well as freshwater. Seems that many people have limited immunity to these, they give you some bad symptoms but usually the body can deal with them if your immune system is half way healthy.

I think I will stick to swimming in Lake Superior, there are bugs in there but they are not too bad if you swim far from the sewer plants. I kind of dislike getting swimmers itch too, inland lakes can get warm enough to sustain them in the heat of the summer.

I also went swimming in Rice lake one year while working on a crew patching roads, I came out with three leaches stuck to me. Someone had matches.

a reply to: LookingAtMars

Yeah I remember this bug, not a new thing at all.
I learned about crypto over 20 years ago when I was selling high end water filters and Royal Prestige cookware. Nasty little bugger, quite tough to kill. I never thought it would become a big deal in the mainstream, but awareness does help.
Be careful drinking pool water out there.

Anyone else came in here thinking this might have been a pun relating to Bitcoin or some other Crypto coin?

My relative won't go near a pool, they know what's in there and have seen the bugs under a microscope.

Nope, Nope. Veer far from them.

Cooties

a reply to: DaphneApollo

bah I own a pool, wouldnt trade it for anything livin in s.oregon high desert

Gosh, so many childhood memories of spotting turds float up in the middle of the local city pool, then disintegrate into water within moments perhaps due to the amount of chlorine (that gave me migraines and turned my hair green!)

Never again! Thx for the reminder/ warning. S+F!

Does it live in those “salt water” pools? I generally don’t go swimming in public pools, I’ve seen some pretty sketch people bath in them. Not to mention the morbidly obese swimming classes, how do you think they wash down there anyways at home?

Salt water pools are chlorinated to kill bacteria and algae just like non-salt-water pools do. It's just a different process.

So the chlorine is a false sense of security?

Alot of ppl - maybe most? - dont realize lots of parasites CYSTS can wall themselves off to be impervious to disinfectants!