SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - Utah swimmers are contracting a nasty parasite which causes diarrhea and other symptoms at nearly double the rate of average Utah summers. The number of Utahns getting infected with Cryptosporidium averages about 40 per summer, but already 70 cases have been reported in Utah, Salt Lake and Davis Counties. The parasite survives in the water for several days, and is not affected by pool chlorine.
"Symtoms are flu like," Rich Lakin of the Utah Department of Health told ABC 4 News. "The main symptoms are a low grade fever, diarrhea, perhaps stomach cramping, and what happens with watery diarrhea is severe dehydration."
The parasite enters pool water through diaper-wearing children, swimmers who do not wash their hands after going to the bathroom and swimmers who do not shower before swimming in public pools. The parasite survives in the water and splashes of water are then ingested by the victims. People who become sick with the parasite remain contagious as long as two weeks after their symptoms disappear, so they need to stay out of public pools even after they feel better.
A quick observation of the Seven Canyons Fountain; a popular water play area for children in Salt Lake City's Liberty Park revealed a number of children playing in the water while wearing nothing but diapers. Their parents sat next to signs warning pool users not to allow children in diapers into the water. It is this kind of behavior that invites the spread of Cryptosporidium.
"People need to step up and realize if they do have watery diarrhea they need to stay out of the pools and not spread this any further. Again, it is chlorine resistant and it's a very difficult disease to kill," Lakin warns.
Health officials believe the disease outbreaks are worse this year because the heat wave has sent more people into the water.
