What is Crypto?

Cryptosporidiosis, commonly referred to as Crypto, is a diarrheal disease caused by microscopic parasites of the genus Cryptosporidium.
 

How is Crypto spread?

 Crypto is spread the following ways:

• Putting something in your mouth or swallowing something that has come into contact with the feces of a person or animal infected with Cryptosporidium
• Swallowing water from pools, hot tubs, lakes, rivers, etc., that has been contaminated with Crypto
• Eating uncooked food contaminated with Crypto. You should thoroughly wash all vegetables and fruit you plan to eat raw.
• Accidentally swallowing Crypto picked up from surfaces such as bathroom fixtures or toys contaminated with feces from an infected person.
   

What are the symptoms of Crypto?

Symptoms of Crypto include watery diarrhea, stomach cramps or pain, fever, nausea and vomiting. Symptoms may begin two to 10 days after a person becomes infected with Crypto. Crypto infections usually last about one to two weeks.
 

How many cases of Crypto are there?

Typically, four cases of Crypto are reported for the entire year. An outbreak of Crypto occurred in 2011. Between June 1 and November 8 of that year, 130 cases of Crypto were reported to the Health Department.

Why do swimming pools have to close in response to Crypto?

During the outbreak of 2011, the Health Department worked with pools to help prevent further spread of the disease. If someone was diagnosed with Crypto and had swam in a local pool, the Health Department asked the pool to close temporarily. While closed, the pool operators were required to raise the chlorine levels to a point that will kill off the Crypto parasite. This measure was in place to help prevent further spread of Crypto through swimming pools, and keep patrons at local pools from being exposed to the parasite.

Residents were asked to avoid swimming in public pools if they were sick with a diarrhea illness for at least two weeks after recovering.

These measures helped the Health Department to stem the outbreak and prevent more cases. In the future, if illnesses such as Crypto are circulating at a much higher rate than usual, the Health Department will likely take similar actions to help prevent further spread of the illness.
 

How does the super-chlorination process work at pools?

Unfortunately, the Cryptosporidium parasite is not killed by chlorine in pools at normal levels (usually 1 to 3.5 parts per million). In super-chlorination, the level of chlorine is increased and left at that level for several hours. The pool is closed to the public during this process. Once the chlorine levels have returned to normal levels, the pool can be opened to the public.
 

Besides chlorination, is there anything pool operators can do to prevent the spread of this disease?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a list of six steps to avoid the spread of any water-borne illnesses:

1. Please don’t swim when you have diarrhea
2. Please don’t swallow pool water
3. Please practice good hygiene. Take a shower before swimming and wash your hands after using the toilet or after changing diapers.
4. Please take your child on bathroom breaks or check diapers often.
5. Please change diapers in a bathroom and not at poolside.
6. Please wash your child thoroughly, especially the rear end with soap and water before swimming.
    

Can Crypto be spread through methods other than pool water? 

Yes, Crypto can be spread by an infected person during food preparation. It also can be spread in places where an infected person uses the bathroom, or through the diapers of infected children.

What can daycare providers do to prevent the spread of Crypto?

One of the main ways that Crypto can be spread from person to person is through diaper changing and poor hand washing. The Health Department recommends daycare providers exclude children from daycares until they have been free of diarrhea for 24 hours.

If someone has symptoms of Crypto, how can he/she be tested to confirm the disease?
 

Visit your health care provider and talk to your doctor about being tested for Crypto.

What is the treatment for Crypto?

The CDC recommends that the drug nitazoxanide be used for treatment of diarrhea caused by Crypto, but your healthcare provider can determine the best method of treatment. If you have diarrhea, remember to drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Rapid loss of fluids from diarrhea may be especially dangerous for babies.
 

Where can I go for more information?

For more information on Crypto, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web site or call the Health Department at 859.363.2070.