What in the world is Cryptosporidium?
WOW, There Really IS Something in The Water!
Terrie Littrell
July 26, 2006
Huntsville, Alabama
Table of Contents
I. What started my crusade?
II.So…….what is cryptosporidium?
III.What do the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Center for Disease Control (CDC) say about this thing called cryptosporidium?
IV.Is the EPA doing anything to improve high risk water plants?
V.Hmmm?? I wonder if cryptosporidium isin my water.
VI.Since the CDC and EPA suggest you “contact your healthcare provider,” well…..Alrighty then, let’s see what they say.
VII.What about bottled water?
VIII.What are other researchcenters, outside the EPA,doing about this problem?
IX.What about the Safe Drinking Water Hotline? 1-800-426-4791
X.What are ways to filter/purify tap water?
XI.My purpose for doing this research and my goals.
XII.Water contamination legal news.
Conclusion
I. What started my crusade?
Oddly enough, I waswatching the $100,000 Chicken Challenge on the Food NetworkWednesday July 19th, 2006. Afterward I just happened to catch Alton Brown’s show called “Good Eats.” This particular episode was called Water Works II. It focused on the molecular structure of water, the contaminants in water, like cryptosporidium, and water purification. Fun! It was a review of Chemistry/Biology 101. (You can catch Alton Brown’s Water Works II onAugust 4, 2006 at 7:00pm ET)
That night, I began research on my Brita filter, as well as my local municipal source. What a coincidence! I had just received the 2006 Huntsville Water Quality Report 2 weeks before. I had glanced at it, looked at how water flows from the TN River to my faucet, thenplaced it in file 13.
If you didn’t happen to read your water report or discarded it, you can view it at . The EPA requires every city water report in our countryto include the following statement:
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791)
The next day after I read this precautionary statement, I called my brother who had undergone chemotherapy. He never received a recommendation to avoid tap water and that’s when he was considered immunocompromised. I had to investigate more about this word….cryptosporidium.
Huntsville’s Water Report also included:
Contaminants that may be present in source water (including rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs and wells).
1)Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations and wildlife.
2)Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally-occurring or result from urban storm water runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming.
3)Pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban storm water runoff and residential uses.
4)Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban storm water runoff and septic systems.
5)Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.
It is important to recognize that 3 of the 5 contaminants have a higher chance of being present after a storm.
Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least smallamounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk
II. So……….What is Cryptosporidium?
Cryptosporidium parvus (also known as “Crypto”) is a parasite excreted in the feces of infected humans, cattle and other mammals. (Yep, it’s in poo.) The infection form of this parasite (the “oocyst”) is too small to be seen without a microscope and is highly resistant to chlorine. Infection with Cryptosporidium, known as cryptosporidiosis, often causes a profuse and watery diarrhea that is frequently accompanied by abdominal cramping. Fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting are other signs and symptoms of crypto, which begin an average of about 7 days after the oocysts are swallowed. A person with a normal, healthy immune system (Average Joe Citizen) can expect systems to last from 2 weeks or less. People with weakened immune systems (those with HIV/AIDS, cancer chemotherapy, or those receiving organ transplants) will have cryptosporidiosis for a longer period of time and it could become life-threatening. Small children and pregnant women with cryptosporidiosis can quickly become severely dehydrated.
III. What do the EPA and CDC say about this thing called Cryptosporidium?
The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) provides “guidance” about Cryptosporidium and drinking water.
Certain pathogens (disease causing microorganisms), such as Cryptosporidiummay occasionally pass through water filtration and disinfection process in numbers high enough to cause health problems, particularly in vulnerable members of the population. Cryptosporidium causes the gastrointestinal disease, cryptosporidiosis and can cause serious sometimes fatal, symptoms, especially among sensitive members of the population.
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. People undergoing chemotherapy or living with HIV/AIDS, transplant patients, children and infants, the frail elderly, and pregnant women and their fetuses can be particularly at risk for infections. If you have special health care needs, consider taking additional precautions with your drinking water, and seek advice from your health care provider. For more information, see
So you see, in addition to cancer patients, people with HIV/AIDS and transplant patients, the EPA also includes children, infants, the elderly and pregnant women. What????? Pregnant women!!! I was pregnant twice with and only heard not to scoop my kitty litter. Why didn’t I hear about this in my WATER!!!!!??????? PLUS…………..My children were once infants!!!!
The potential for microbial contaminated drinking water is demonstrated by localized outbreaks of waterborne disease. Many of these outbreaks have been linked to contamination by bacteria or viruses, probably from human or animal wastes. For example, in 1999 and 2000, there were 39 reported disease outbreaks associated with drinking water, some which were linked to public drinking water supplies.
39 outbreaks!!!!! Holy mad cow disease! How many thousands were infected? Dunno the answer yet…………….
A serious outbreak of cryptosporidiosis occurred in 1993 in Milwaukee, WI, and this one single outbreak caused more than 400,000 persons to be infected with the disease and over 50 deaths. This is sort of a BIG story that many of you may not know.
For more, go to and download Water on Tap - What You Need to Know.
Here’s what the CDC says about Cryptosporidium and drinking water.
Cryptosporidiosis is a diarrheal disease caused by microscopic parasites of the germ Cryptosporidium. Once an animal or person is infected, the parasite lives in the intestine and passes in the stool. The parasite is protected by an outer shell that allows it to survive outside the body for long periods of time and makes it very resistant to chlorine-based disinfectants.
During the past 2 decades, crypto has become one of the most common causes of waterborne disease within humans in the United States. THE PARASITE MAY BE FOUND IN DRINKING WATER AND RECREATIONAL WATER IN EVERY REGION OF THE UNITED STATES AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
That’s right. It’s in Anywhere, USA. Are YOU at risk? Yes, but not as “at risk” unless your immune system is being compromised due to illness or you are drinking water from an unreliable source. NOTE: Not every water plant in America has the kind of people running it like Huntsville, AL. Water plants and water quality varies from city to city.
Preventing Cryptosporidiosis: A Guide for People with Compromised Immune Systems
“Because you cannot be sure if your tap water contains Crypto, you may wish to avoid drinking tap water, including water or ice from a refrigerator which is usually made with tap water.” (The CDC said this……..not me!!!) READ IT AGAIN FOLKS!
Together the EPA and CDC have developed the following guidance for severely immunocompromised people who may wish to take extra precautions. Such individuals should consult with their health care provider about what measures would be most appropriate and effective for reducing their overall risk of Cryptosporidium and other types of infection.
1)Boiling water is the most effective way of killing Cryptosporidium. Bring drinking water to a full boil for 1 minute.
2)Use a dependable water purification system.
3)Drink bottled water (must have gone through distillation or reverse osmosis before bottling to remove Cryptosporidium).
NOTE: Boiling your water for longer than 1 minute could actual increase the amount of lead and nitrates. If you live in an older home with lead piping, you may want to check that out.
IV. Is the EPA doing anything to improve the quality of existing water plants?
Because Cryptosporidium can make you really sick, the EPA has developed the Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT2). The purpose of the LT2 is to reduce illness linked with the contaminant Cryptosporidium and other disease-causing microorganisms in drinking water.
I spoke with Phil Oshita at the Office of Water at the EPA and he said the LT2 is to assure that there are enough labs available and experts trained at watersystems with higher risk levels for Crypto. I also spoke with Carrie Welton with the EPA and she said there are millions of dollars inthe LT2 Rule for national water quality improvement. The LT2 Rule begins monitoring large systems October 2006 and smaller systems October 2008 .
One of the EPA’s objectives between 2004-2008 is to increase the rate of compliance with drinking water standards from 93% to 95%. (
V. Hmmm?? I wonder if cryptosporidium isin mywater.
The next day after learning about Cryptosporidium,I naturally wanted to test my water. Ha ha! I think it would be easier to put a camel through the eye of a needle. I’ve called multiple labs and I can get my water tested all day for lead and organics, but NOT Cryptosporidium!!!!! Hmmm??? (Companies called: Bio-Chem Analysts, SpecPro, TMC) Tests through TMC run $25. My point of contact was Phil Schrader.
My last call was to TTL in Tuscaloosa, AL. TTL is a certified lab approved for the analysis of cryptosporidium under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Steve Martin (not THAT one) said their Board of Directors would NOT allow them to test residential water for Cryptosporidium. Hmmm???? Conflict of interest.
Haven’t had my tap water tested yet, but I’m working on it.
VI. Since the CDC and EPA suggest you “contact your healthcare provider”, well……..alrighty then, let’s see what they say:
(If you are a healthcare provider reading this report, please go to (Physicians for Social Responsibility) The fact sheet re: cryptosporidium is very informative.
1)Clinic for women (OB-GYN) (Cryptosporidium specialist Carrie Melton at the EPA said “cryptosporidium parasites can’t penetrate the placenta” HOWEVER , many other contaminants can – see the recommendation above from the EPA) contact: PeggyAt first, I felt like she thought I was on some weird conspiracy theory trip and I’m not. After a rather lengthy call, we agreed that there are many harmful things out there, but bottom line……..if I’m given precautionary advice not to scoop my kitty litter, I would have liked to have known all the risks that could have affected my children.
2)Davis Clinic for HIV/AIDS patients – contact: Chu She was very much aware of the risk to AIDS patients in regard to their tap water and stated that their clinic even receives donated filter systems. It’s optional forphysicians to tell patients to avoid tap water.
3)Comprehensive Cancer Institute Huntsville – contact: Brenda in triage. She made me feel like I was talking about 3 tiny green men in my backyard getting out of a spaceship. She’s been a nurse for 40 years in 5 states and even worked with AIDS patients, but never heard anything about tap water being a risk. She said, “Well I might as well tell my patients not to walk out the front door” and all but hung up on me. She really didn’t like what I had to say. (The American Cancer Society webpage for People With Weak Immune Systems says, “Water from your home faucet is considered safe if it from a city water supply or municipal well serving a highly populated area” ) WRONG!!!!!
4)Huntsville Pediatric Associates – spoke to Julia. At first, she was asking if I had my water tested before calling and then thought I had read one article and overreacted. After I told her that every piece of information that I have found said to contact your “health care provider”, that’s when she decided to talk to Dr. Klemm. He said this was news to him and never thought my children’s immune system had ever been compromised. He appreciated being made aware that documentation about cryptosporidiosis says, “consult your healthcare provider.”
5)1917 UAB Clinic for AIDS (Birmingham)–First, I spoke to their front desk clerk. In her 10 years at the clinic, she had never heard that their patients should avoid tap water. Secondly, I spoke to nurse Gina Dobbsand she recommends their patients bring their water to a rolling boil for one minute. Gina andnurse Carol Lynn also recommend their patients drink bottled water.
VII. What about bottled water??
The International Bottled Water Association requires members to safeguard their water if they use a municipal source by at least one of these processes; reverse osmosis, filtration or distillation. Municipal source means tap water.
1)Aquafina(contact: Andrea) – they have a 7 step process including UV light, reverse osmosis, charcoal filtration and ozonation – it’s VERY GOOD.
2)Kroger Purified Water(contact: Alyssa) – Carbon Filter, ozonated, UV light and reverse osmosis. – VERY GOOD.
3)Dasani (Coca-Cola Company) (contact: David) – they use reverse osmosis and that’s it. It does remove Crypto(per the CDC), but………. They don’t get ALL the ick out. FAIR.
4)Nestle waters (Contacts: Rich and Samantha) (Sam’s Choice, Poland Springs, Deerpark, Arrowhead, Zephyrhills and some others) – EXCELLENT. They know their water!!!! They even sent meliterature and a DVD about their process. They have up to 13 steps of filtration and purification. Reverse osmosis, UV light, distillation, ozonation, 2 stage micron filters. Their people are obviously well-trained through product knowledge classes. Kudos to Nestle! They win a Blue Ribbon!!!
5)Propel Fitness Water (Gatorade) (Contact: Michelle) DON’T DRINK IT!! The FDA places Propel under the soft drink category because it has added flavor, sugar and/or supplement. It’s tap water. They use a charcoal filterthat removes chlorine and lead, but NOT Cryptosporidium. They need to use is an “absolute one” micron filter to remove this parasite.
VIII. Are there Research Centers outside of the EPA working on this problem? Of course!
1) Pennsylvania Department of Health Bureau of Epidemiology – (contact: Marshall Deasy) He merely cited that 10-20% of AIDS patients were reported to have had cryptosporidium sometime during their illness. He also said cryptosporidium only poses a threat if it is a viable (living organism).
The PA Dept. of Health Bureau of Epidemiology’s Communicable Disease fact sheet on cryptosporidiosis states: “Animal studies have shown that swallowing one oocyst can cause disease.” The Bureau of Epidemiology recommends immunocompromised patients who wish to reduce their risk of infection should at least boil their water.
2) Kansas State University – Division of Biology – (contact: Steve Upton) He has worked with cryptosporidium for 20 years and highly recommends using a precautionary method for removing contaminants from water if you have AIDS and are going through chemotherapy. He did say that a lot of the new “heavy duty” AIDS drugs help battle crypto, but it’s still a good idea to get your water purified if you are “high risk”.
3) University of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and of Medicine U. of CA; Division of Public Health Biology and Epidemiology, School of Public Health University at Berkeley, CA; San Francisco Dept. of Public Health; CA Emerging Infection Program; Div. of Communicable Disease Control, CA Dept. of Health Services;
These California medical programs conducted: Endemic cryptosporidiosis and exposure to municipal tap water in persons with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome control study.
Their conclusion: Although the results from this observational study cannot be considered definitive, until there is more data, we recommend persons with AIDS, especially those with compromised immune systems, consider avoiding tap water.