Cryptosporidium: the danger lurking in the pool!

As temperatures rise, many of us head to the pool to cool off. There’s another population tagging along, though. Cryptosporidium, a species of parasites, is just as big a fan of water environments as us, and you don’t want to be sharing your pool with it!

Across the pond, the American health authorities have sounded the alarm on recurrent epidemics of Cryptosporidium infections. Relatively unknown, this parasite is communicated through raw foods or contaminated water, and once it sets up home in the digestive tract, it releases spores that the infected host then releases in their bowel movement.

All it takes is someone not washing their hands effectively and the carnage begins. For even if swimming pools are treated, the risk is still there, since the parasite is highly resistant to chlorine. After just a small amount of water ingested while swimming, the symptoms can hit – diarrhoea, stomach cramps, severe vomiting and more. Generally, the symptoms go away without needing treatment, but they can still last for up to 3 weeks.

So how can you avoid this parasite? Well, by getting into some basic good-hygiene habits. This means washing your hands after every trip to the toilet and before handling any food. This way, you can continue to enjoy cooling off in the pool with no worries.