Outbreaks of illness related to recreational water exposure have increased substantially in recent years, largely because of the emergence of Cryptosporidium, according to a CDC report.
In the years 2007/2008, 74% of cases of acute gastrointestinal illness associated with recreational water exposure were caused by this parasite, and in all but two of the outbreaks the venue was a treated-water facility such as a chlorinated swimming pool.
The dominance of Cryptosporidium in treated recreational water facilities “is related to its chlorine tolerance, which allows it to survive in properly chlorinated recreational water for longer than ten days,” the agency stated in the Sept. 23 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
For more:Â http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/PublicHealth/28692
