Growing Medical Concern: Cryptosporidium

The word is a mouth full – cryptosporidium. But the message is clear – it’s a growing public health concern. This is Dr. Steven Andrew Davis, Speaking of Health. According to the California Department of Health Services, the germ that causes cryptosporidiosis has long been recognized as a parasite in a wide variety of animals but was not noted to cause disease in man until about 30 years ago. Since then, however, it’s been identified as a cause of sporadic human gastrointestinal disease and sometimes of outbreaks – the largest being one in Milwaukee in which over 400,000 persons became ill.

This cryptosporidium organism is microscopic, is transmitted in water supplies and through contact with human waste. The symptoms it causes range from very mile and temporary to life-threatening, cholera-like disease, especially in people with compromised immune systems, such as those with AIDS or cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. There is no specific treatment for this disease but most otherwise healthy people get well with fluid replacement and monitoring of the body’s mineral balance. Though cryptosporidiosis may be new to most people, the ways to prevent it are old news. First, good personal hygiene, which includes washing hands after using the toilet, changing diapers, gardening, and handling pets. Secondly, avoid drinking surface waters from creeks, rivers and lakes; and, when unsure of the safety of the water supply, boiling water for at least one minute. For a copy of this script and journal reference, access our web site, www.speakingofhealth.com. Speaking of Health, I’m Dr. Steven Andrew Davis for CBS News.