You might have aesthetically pleasing water yet still have the Crypto disease lurking around.
It’s frightening!
Do you know?
Over 700 cases of cryptosporidiosis have been reported in Queensland since the start of 2024, which is 13 times higher than in January 2023. Just under 500 cases were reported in New South Wales, while other states have reported an increase in the number of cryptosporidiosis infections this year so far, according to the Medical Xpress and 9 News latest story on Cryptosporidium.
What causes Cryptosporidiosis and how does it spread?
Cryptosporidium is present in the fecal matter of infected humans and animals and can be transmitted through contaminated food, water, swimming pools or contact with infected people or animals.
Transmission often occurs through:
- Swimming or bathing in contaminated pools, spas and/or recreational water parks
- person-to-person contact
- handling animals or their faeces who are infected
- risk of fecal exposure during sexual intercourse
- Ingesting water that is untreated i.e. bores and or wells
- Ingesting untreated milk
- Unwashed fruit, vegetables or salads (uncommon).
An individual is most contagious when they have diarrhea however, the parasite may be excreted several days after symptoms are gone.
What are the symptoms of Cryptosporidiosis?
The most common symptoms of Cryptosporidiosis are;
- diarrhea, especially in young children
- nausea
- vomiting
- fever
- headache, and
- loss of appetite
- temporary lactose intolerance in up to 40% of cases.
Most individuals develop symptoms within the first 12 days after becoming infected. Usually, these symptoms clear up within a couple of weeks, however, an individual with a compromised immune or a young child may take a little longer to fully recover.
Will chlorine keep my pool water safe?
Despite what people may think, chlorine does not kill all infectious microbes in a swimming pool.
Cryptosporidium oocysts are resistant to chlorine and acid and are not destroyed by chlorine at the safe concentrations found in most swimming pools.
How can I ensure my swimming pool water is safe?
Through a Secondary Purification System via AOP (Advanced Oxidation Process) you can ensure that your swimming pool stays free of germs and bacteria such as the dreaded cryptosporidium.
Brauer Swims’ award-winning patented AOP (Advance Oxidation Process) technology creates hydroxyl radicals via its advanced oxidation process which is the most effective and efficient means of eliminating combined chlorine in the water, chlorine gas in the air and chlorine-resistant pathogens such as cryptosporidium and giardia.
Who should get a Secondary Purification System?
All Learn to Swim Pools and Aquatic Centres should have or consider getting a Secondary Purification System installed to avoid unnecessary shut-downs, reputational damage and or loss of income due to decontamination.
