Crypto parasitic outbreak rises to 18 cases as kids return to school

The crypto outbreak in Northern Kentucky has infected at least 16 people, up from a dozen confirmed cases reported Friday, and there have been an additional two cases in Cincinnati.

Most Northern Kentucky cases are in Kenton and Boone counties, though some are also in Campbell County, said Skip Tate, a spokesperson for the Northern Kentucky Health Department.

Two Northern Kentucky swimming pools provided public statements about cooperating with the health department after some of the people who contacted the illness were in the pools. Beechwood Swim Club in Fort Mitchell will be closed until 4 p.m. Friday, its public release stated, adding, "To reopen the pool, we must increase to certain chlorine levels in the baby pool and big pool for 24 hours to kill any potential Crypto contamination." Silverlake Water Park also provided a statement about its cooperation with the health department as the health department had requested.

Concerns about the virus spreading are compounded with kids returning to school, which coincided with the beginning of the outbreak in the three counties last week.

"We're also getting calls from day cares and schools, who are seeing sick children who say they went swimming," Tate said. "Having this happen just as kids are returning to school is really unfortunate timing."

On Wednesday, the Cincinnati Health Department spokesman confirmed to The Enquirer that the city's cases numbered two since the start of August.

Crypto is often associated with swimming pools because it "easily spreads far and wide in water," Tate said, "but you can also get it when changing diapers or dealing with a child in school who has diarrhea."

Here's what you need to know to stay safe.

What is cryptosporidiosis, and where does it come from?

Cryptosporidiosis, also known as crypto, is an infection that causes diarrhea. It comes from a parasite that is found in human or animal stool.

Anything contaminated by the infected stool, including food, drinking water, surfaces or bodies of water where people swim can pass the infection onto other people. The infection can also spread between people.

Once it is in your body, the parasite passes through your digestive tract and infect the intestines. Symptoms that result, including diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, stomach cramps and fever, last for around two weeks but sometimes longer.

For most healthy people, crypto is not usually a serious disease, but it can lead to a life-threatening illness for those who are immunocompromised, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine . Those at risk include people with HIV/AIDS, cancer and transplant patients who are taking immune system-suppressing medication, and anyone with an inherited disease that affects their immune system.

Crypto usually peaks in the summer

Crypto outbreaks in the U.S. that occurred between 2009 and 2017 usually peaked in the summer, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

That's largely driven by recreational water-associated outbreaks. Crypto outbreaks associated with child care also peak during the summer, though a bit later: between July and September. Bodies of water, including pools and lakes, were the number one cause of crypto outbreaks, accounting for 41% of outbreaks during that time period.

How can you protect yourself against crypto?

• Appropriate hand washing is key to avoiding crypto, according to Tate, and has been central to the health department's guidance to schools in the area.
• Do not rely on alcohol-based hand sanitizers, which are not effective against crypto , according to the CDC. Use soap and water.
• Avoid recreational water activities.
• The CDC also encourages people to practice safe sex to protect against crypto, which can linger in a patient's stool for up to two weeks after their diarrhea stops.

What should you do if you contract the illness?

• Public health officials recommend contacting your physician, especially if you're immunocompromised. Your doctor may ask you to submit a stool sample to confirm the diagnosis.
• You can treat the symptoms with over-the-counter medicines such as anti-diarrheals, but your physician may prescribe stronger medicine, Tate said.
• The disease resolves itself in most healthy people, Johns Hopkins Medicine notes, but those who are immunocompromised may receive treatment focused on getting their immunity back.
• While ill, drink water to avoid dehydration, which can be caused by diarrhea.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Crypto parasitic outbreak rises to 18 cases as kids return to school