Water Parasite Outbreak: UK Health Authorities on High Alert After Detecting Cryptosporidium Parasite in Devon

A water parasite outbreak is potentially becoming an emerging threat in southwest England, United Kingdom, after some people became ill, according to government sources. Due to the threat, UK health authorities are on high alert, investigating related cases in Devon where people tested positive for a microscopic parasite, called cryptosporidium, which causes the disease cryptosporidiosis.

Cryptosporidium is known for causing illness in humans and some animals, with symptoms including stomach upsets and diarrhea. The water parasite can be detected from samples of human and animal feces, which can contaminate natural and anthropogenic bodies of water, including rivers, lakes, waterways, and swimming pools. Similar cases have been reported before outside the UK.

Water Parasite Outbreak

The current water parasite outbreak is being investigated by UK health authorities, with the UK Health and Security Agency is attempting to find the source of the infections. In Devon, small traces of the pathogen were detected in Brixham, according to local reports.

On Wednesday, May 15, local water company South West Water issued a notice to 40,000 residents to boil their water first.

According to the UK Health Security Agency, acquiring the parasite can be prevented by following some of these steps:

• Avoid drinking unsafe or untreated water.
• Do not swallow water from lakes or swimming pools.
• Ensure handwashing is done always after making contact with any farms.

What is Cryptosporidiosis?

Cryptosporidiosis causes water diarrhea and it is mainly caused by the microscopic germ or parasite cryptosporidium, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Found in the United States and other parts of the world, the parasitic pathogen can live not only in water but also in food, soil, or surfaces that have been contaminated by a cryptosporidiosis-infected poop.

The diarrhea-causing disease includes the germ that lives in the feces of infected humans and animals, as mentioned earlier.

Cryptosporidiosis symptoms begin as early as 2 to 10 days (with an average of 7 days) after infection. The illness can last for 1 to 2 weeks, wherein an infected individual can experience watery diarrhea or no symptoms at all, the CDC adds.

Parasites in Drinking Water

Parasites are pathogens that need a living host in order to thrive and survive. Unlike bacteria and viruses, parasitic organisms do not always kill their hosts. However, they often carry diseases that can be life-threatening to the host, which can be humans or animals. Parasites can dwell in different environments, including sites like local water reservoirs which communities use for drinking water.

Parasites in drinking water has been a problem in the US, where natural surface waters like lakes and rivers are susceptible to cryptosporidium but also to giardia. Both of these bugs can survive for a long time in their environment, whether they are in swimming pools, hot tubs, streams, or ponds.

Currently, approximately 7.2 million Americans become sick every year from water-borne diseases, according to the Vermont Department of Health.