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What is Cryptosporidium? DPW finds low levels of parasites in Druid Lake Reservoir, says vulnerable people in Baltimore area may fall sick

As per officials, a recent sample taken from Baltimore's Druid Lake Reservoir had a Cryptosporidium parasite concentration of 0.09 oocycst per liter

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND: The diarrheal disease called cryptosporidiosis is caused by a microscopic organism called "Cryptosporidium." At times, both the parasite and the disease are referred to as "Crypto."

The Baltimore Department of Public Works reported that low quantities of this microscopic parasite were discovered during routine monitoring of Druid Lake Reservoir located in Baltimore, Maryland. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cryptosporidium is the most common cause of human waterborne illness in the US. While there are a number of ways in which this parasite might spread, drinking water and leisure activities in water are the most common settings in which it does so.

Due to parasite contamination, officials are advising immunocompromised individuals to avoid drinking tap water across a significant portion of Baltimore County and a small part of Howard County.

As per CBS News, experts note that those who are immunocompromised, elderly people, and children might develop gastrointestinal issues as a result of being infected by the Cryptosporidium parasite. For those falling in the said demographic, it's suggested to take proper precautions like boiling water before drinking.

Although Cryptosporidium may cause health problems, the levels found suggested "low risk for the general public" and did not constitute a direct threat to the public's health, the DPW officials declared on Thursday, September 28.

The majority of city residents may still safely consume the water, but DPW urges those in vulnerable groups to drink bottled water, boil water for one minute, or filter it.

"Please rest assured that our drinking water remains safe for the general population. This is not related, or in any way comparable, to previous water-related issues," stated officials in a statement. 

Cryptosporidium infects both humans and animals

There are several kinds of Cryptosporidium that infect both humans and animals. The parasite is shielded by an exterior layer that gives it the ability to endure prolonged periods of time outside the body and makes it highly resistant to chlorine treatment.

As per the CDC, Cryptosporidiosis symptoms often appear two to 10 days (on average seven days) after contracting the parasite and are usually characterized by watery diarrhea.

Compromised immune systems can lead to serious, persistent, and even fatal illnesses. People with compromised immune systems include HIV/AIDS patients, people with immune system-damaging hereditary disorders, and cancer and transplant recipients using specific immunosuppressive medications, to name a few.

According to Natalie Exum, an environmental health expert at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the primary reason that Cryptosporidium is alarming is the parasite's resistance to chlorine. That implies that the parasite can't be removed by the residual chlorine in the drinking water system, which is added to kill germs.

The majority of patients with strong immune systems recover on their own. Drinking lots of fluids can help manage the diarrhea while preventing individuals from getting dehydrated.

Anti-diarrheal medication might help slow down diarrhea, but it is best to speak with a doctor before taking it. The FDA has approved nitazoxanide for the treatment of diarrhea brought on by Cryptosporidium in people with healthy immune systems.

Nitazoxanide is available via prescription but it's unknown whether it works in immunosuppressed people.

Which areas in Baltimore were impacted by Cryptosporidium?

According to a map provided by Baltimore City's Department of Public Works, the affected area spans the entire city from southwest to northeast Baltimore, including a majority of West and North Baltimore.

These also include north and east into Baltimore County, from Towson up throughout Hunt Valley to Cockeysville and Sparks, including Parkville, Perry Hall, and Overlea.

Additionally, it extends along Route 1 into Howard County's Elkridge and into Arbutus in Baltimore County, as per Baltimore Sun. 

According to Tamara Green, chief medical officer at the Baltimore City Department of Health, no cases of cryptosporidiosis, the disease brought on by the microbe, have been documented in the city over the last two months.

The temporary head of the city's Department of Public Works, Richard Luna, stated the levels of Cryptosporidium in Druid Lake water were "so low that it was even hard for the laboratory analyst to detect" the parasite.

On September 26, the city learned from a laboratory that samples taken on September 19 had a parasite concentration of 0.09 oocycst per liter.

Following the failure of a city water treatment facility in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1993, dozens of thousands of people contracted cryptosporidiosis, and 69 people died, many of whom were at the time coping with AIDS.