What is Cryptosporidium?

Cryptosporidium is a unicellular parasite that can contaminate water, soil, food that is uncooked or be present in the stool. In fact, there are several varieties of cryptosporidia, although C. Parvum tends to be most often responsible for intestinal infection in humans and animals. When any type of cryptosporidia is used, it tends to cause water diarrhea that lasts for several weeks, usually solves itself.

This is not always. Very young, elderly people and people with immune shortcomings caused by conditions such as HIV are extremely vulnerable to consumed Cryptosporidium. They may have widespread attacks of disease without treatment and some people with undiagnosed cases may die due to excessive dehydration. Extensive dehydration can lead to organ failure and in infants may be significant weight loss due to diarrhea, especially if at least 10% of body weight is lost in a short period of time.

There are a number of different ways to get in touchwith Cryptosporide. Although drinking fluids and consumption of contaminated foods or parasite transmission from the soil or feces to the mouth is the most common, swimming in water contaminated by parasite can also cause infection if you swallow this water. Both animals and humans can be infected, and if you have close contact with another infected person, especially touching their face or mouth, you can also get the infection if you do not wash your hands. If pets have water diarrhea that lasts longer than one day, it is good to check with your veterinarian to check the presence of parasite, because people can easily get this parasite from pets, especially young pets.

Although cryptosporidia infections are most common in developing countries, there have been many cases in highly developed countries. At the beginning of the 90s. More than 400,000 people fell ill. Since then, infection with this parasite has been reported more often, albeit on average, in the USOnly about 3000 cases are reported each year. This amount may be higher and not reported, but public health officials are looking for trends that could indicate the contamination of a common food or water source.

Cryptosporidia infections cause problems because there is no clear treatment. People who are healthy and who have strong immune systems often recover without treatment, but they must be careful to drink a lot of fluids to replace lost fluids. Those who do not recruit or have endangered immunity can take several drugs, including anti-parasitic drugs, drugs that help slow diarrhea and antiretroviral drugs that help increase the immune response. This last is often used when people have HIV/AIDS. Further treatment may include fluid exchange, sometimes intravenble ous and several days of hospitalization if dehydration is serious.

Since the pound of treatment can sometimes be effective, the preference is definitely an ounce of prevention, especially if you have compromisedimmune system. It should always be observed with careful handling of the hands and persons with a compromised immune system should carefully consider the risks versus the benefits of swimming in non -sorcery water. When traveling in foreign countries or on holiday in the wild, filtering or water cleaning is very important. You should also be very careful if you manipulate with farms or pets, especially newborns. Then wash your hands thoroughly and do not accept licking or kisses from pets.