It amazes me that the water born virus Cryptosporidium continues to make its way across the metroplex. I have now confirmed, health investigators believe the entire outbreak started at Burgers Lake in Fort Worth, possibly by one infected swimmer.
The question is, who goes to the bathroom in a pool? Little kids do, but could they all be solely responsible? I don’t think so. And the only way to get Crypto is to ingest it, which means if you are swimming at a public pool make sure you make a special attempt NOT to ingest any water, and wash your hands and face when you come out of the pool.
The whole issue is disgusting and makes me never want to visit a public pool again. Now comes word, the super germ may have killed a little girl. I think it’s time the CDC pay a visit to North Texas.
August 1, 2008 at 8:37 am |
You’d be surprised at people – there are teens/adults that use the restroom in the pool. All because they don’t want to get out and walk to the location. At the same time, how do they know it might not be from an animal? There are tons of people who have pets that aren’t washed very well, so I’m wondering if the crypto is something from an animal’s waste bacteria that attached itself to a human and released itself in the water like human waste?
Also, I’ll be calling my local gym’s pool because I swim there, and there is a rule that you have to wear swimming attire in the wet areas – and there are some ladies that don’t. They were their normal work out clothes or street clothes in the pool – GROSS!!
August 6, 2008 at 10:55 pm |
You have much to learn about crypto. I am an expert in this area; it is my job. There are alternatives to hyperchlorination and UV. Hyperchlorination kills crypto the day of treatment ONLY. The day the pool is reopened a swimmer carrying the disease can infect others. UV is not a type of filtration. It is only effective if crypto ocysts successfully pass through the chambered light and in order for this process to work the water must not be turbid at all. There are alternatives which trap the crypto ocysts in filtration. Did you watch the NBC5 story tonight? This is the only true preventative measure and approved by the EPA to trap and prevent crypto. While crypto is passed through infected fecal matter being ingested, it is not necessarily as simple as one person having an accident in the pool or not being clean and another swallowing pool water. True in most cases an infant introduced the feces into the water, but crypto is also carried by birds and other animals including dogs and likely in the case of Burger’s Lake that a wild animal contaminated the natural spring fed lake. Swallowing the water is as simple as talking while others are splashing nearby and unknowingly drawing in a few droplets. Let’s face it, anyone that uses a public pool, swimming hole or hot tub is engaging in sharing bath water with others. Another tip I will share is anytime a public pool or hot tub smells like chlorine it doesn’t mean that there must be a lot of chlorine and therefore the water is safe. it is the complete opposite. Chlorine odor indicates the chlorine has exhausted itself breaking down amonias and nitrates and developed chloramines, which typically requires the pool or hot tub be closed and shocked.
August 7, 2008 at 10:10 am |
It is going to happen again. The City of Trophy Club allows backwashing of 300+ pools constructed prior to 2005 to backwash directly into Grapevine Lake.
October 3, 2008 at 6:09 am |
Scott
You know what your talking about this is a situatuion where everyone needs to work together and be educated on the crypto outbreak. Thank you for helping out and please continue your public education its exactly what is called for.