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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 21, 1994)
j u .t o u t ▼ o c to b o r 2 1 . 1 9 9 4 ▼ 19 M icrogam étocyte ealth officials say a parasite often 8 found in drinking water may prove harmful to people with suppressed immune systems. The parasite, O > Cryptosporidium parvum, causes the CD disease cryptosporidiosis, of which the symptoms include diarrhea and vomiting. Once infected, immunocompromised citizens, such as cancer che motherapy patients or those with HI V/A1DS, are at risk for severe illness. “We do know of cases of people coming down with cryptosporidiosis in the Portland area, but it’s very difficult to trace the source of that contamina tion,” says Susan Stoltenberg, executive director A parasite often found in drinking water may pose of the Cascade AIDS Project, Oregon’s largest HIV/AIDS service organization. a threat to those with weakened immune systems According to health officials, cryptosporidiosis is spread by putting something in the mouth that has been contaminated with the feces of an in by Inga Sorensen fected person or animal. In this way, people swal low the parasite, which is too small to be seen with the naked eye. A person can become infected by 50 people died, includ those sam ples we drinking contaminated water or eating raw or ing several people with have found Crypto undercooked food contam inated with AIDS. sporidium in the Cryptosporidium oocysts (an egg-like form of the Since that outbreak, w ater,” says Mark parasite that is in the infectious stage); direct there has been increased Knudson, a Portland contact with the feces of infected humans or ani concern about the waterquality manager. mals; or hand-to-mouth transfer of oocysts from nation’s water supplies, “The measurements surfaces that may have become contaminated with but there remain no gov range from .5 to 5.3 microscopic amounts of the feces of an infected ernmental guidelines oocysts per hundred person or animal. mandating that water be lite rs o f w a te r .” Those most at risk for cryptosporidiosis in tested for the parasite. Knudson cautions the clude child care workers; diaper-aged children “This is a relatively figures mean little, due who attend day-care centers; persons exposed to new disease, and it is a to an uncertainty in human feces through sexual contact; and caregivers significant disease,” says testing methods (for who might come in direct contact with feces while Dr. William Keene, a example, algae may caring fora person infected with cryptosporidiosis. communicable disease look li ke an oocy st) and Symptoms include diarrhea, headache, abdomi epidemiologist for the because testing and nal cramps, nausea, vomiting and low-grade fever Oregon Health Division. stu d y o f C ry p to which may lead to weight loss and dehydration. In Keene has been follow sporidium has not oc otherwise healthy people, these symptoms usually ing Cryptosporidium curred on a widespread last one to two weeks, but for immunocompromised outbreaks since 1986. level. people the infection may persist and become life- “There are already lots of government standards For comparison’s sake, however, New York threatening. regarding the testing of the public water supply, City’s water supply has measured 17 oocysts per According to Stoltenberg, CAP received sev but none deal specifically with crypto. That’s chang hundred liters of water. “And I guess we can take eral concerned phone calls following an airing of ing, however. The EPA [federal Environmental some comfort in the fact that during the Milwaukee NBC’s Dateline, a weekly newsmagazine that Protection Agency) is in the process of developing outbreak levels were at 100 oocysts per hundred recently featured a segment on the potential dan guidelines that are specific to crypto.” liters,” Knudson says, adding, “Most outbreaks gers of Cryptosporidium. The Portland Water Bureau has been voluntar seem to occur when the measurement hits about 30 “It’s very understandable that the people we ily testing for Cryptosporidium for eight years. oocysts per hundred liters of water. Quite frankly, service would want to know more about this be Portland’s public water supply primarily comes though, if you’ve got a depressed immune system, cause of their depressed immune systems,” she from the Bull Run Reservoir near Mount Hood. it could take a lot less to affect you. It really varies says. According to health and water officials, livestock from individual to individual.” and people are kept away from the reservoir in According to Knudson, Bull Run water is treated et health officials say there is little informa order to decrease the risk of contamination. Live with chlorine before the public is allowed to drink tion available about the parasite as it relates stock in particular may pose a threat because it. Cryptosporidium is not responsive to chlorine, to human infection. In fact, as late as 1976, parasite-infected feces may wash into the water though it can be filtered. Bull Run water does not the parasite was not known to cause disease in supply during heavy rains. While many wild ani undergo a filtering process, and Knudson says it mals are infected, their importance as a source of humans. Until 1993, when more than 400,000 would cost roughly $120 million to put such a human infection is not clear. Officials say surface people in Milwaukee, Wis., became ill with diar system in place. rhea after drinking water contaminated with the water supplies are more prone to contamination So what exactly can someone do to try to avoid than ground water supplies. parasite, few people had heard of Cryptosporidium. infection? Some suggest installing a home water “Since 1986 we’ve taken 68 samples. In 19 of According to Milwaukee health officials, nearly filtering system. “There is a standard for home H Î Watch what you drink Y B uddhist A pproach to L iving W ith HIV Free Workshop filtering systems known as NSFCyst Removal that ensures that crypto will be filtered out,” explains Tom Richardson, coordinator of the Oregon AIDS Hotline. Richardson is currently gathering infor mation about the costs and availability of such systems. "You could also bring your tap water to a full boil before drinking it—that will kill the parasite, but it may be a very inconvenient way to handle the situation,” he admits. Some may think bottled water is safer to drink, but, says Knudson, "That water may or may not contain oocysts. There arc no regulations saying bottled water has to be tested.” He further cautions that home filtering systems often require diligent maintenance in order to be effective. “You can install the best system, but if you forget to change your filters, then you’ve defeated the purpose,” he says. “What I tell people is that if they have a suppressed immune system, they should consult with their physician about the best way to avoid contamination.” These are the most often mentioned steps one can take to avoid infection: don’t drink untreated surface water, including private water supplies or water from streams or lakes; bring water to a full, rolling boil before ingesting it; purchase and prop erly maintain an appropriate home water filter system; avoid fecal-oral modes of transmission. Richardson says that although cases of cryptosporidiosis may be brought on by the water borne parasite, gay men may be picking it up in other ways. “Cryptosporidium in the water may be a prob lem for the general public, but we also have to be aware that in cases involving gay men, the infec tion is brought on by unsafe anal-oral sexual prac tices,” he says. “We need to be aware of the threat, and we certainly address this in our safer-sex educational materials.” According to Keene, the state will soon make cryptosporidiosis reportable, meaning that when a health care provider diagnoses cryptosporidiosis in a patient, the information will be forwarded to state health officials. The purpose of the reporting is to help pinpoint the source of infection in order to prevent further transmission. State health offi cials admit cry p to sp o rid io sis is “grossly underdiagnosed” in part because the parasite is rarely identified on a routine stool exam. "Crypto will soon become reportable, and when it does we will launch an educational campaign to better inform other health care providers and the public about its dangers and ways to avoid it,” says Keene. Knudson adds the Portland Water Bureau will soon make a Cryptosporidium consumer packet available to the public. “The fact of the matter is, there is no treatment for cryptosporidiosis, and people are dying from it,” says Knudson. “We’re concerned and will do what we can to inform the public about the prob lem.” FLU......... 1 VACCINATIONS Lloyd Center Mall Wednesdays & Saturdays * Healing using mantra and visualization 11AM-6PM * The nature of suffering Cost: $12 * Meditation from the Buddhist perspective * The nature of the mind Saturday, November 5, 10 am to 3:30 pm NW Dharma Center, 25th & SE Madison Lunch not provided • Park at least 2 blocks from Center Between Lamonts & Hickory Farms VISA/Mastercard accepted We accept Medicaid All immunizations by Registered Nurses For further info call: 6 5 8 - 5 5 0 0 10% to No on 13 with this coupon '
