An outbreak of waterborne cryptosporidiosis caused by post-treatment contamination

Abstract

An outbreak of waterborne cryptosporidiosis affecting 27 persons, diagnosed stool positive, occurred in Ayrshire in April 1988. Twenty-one in 27 confirmed cases required some form of fluid replacement therapy. Local general practitioners indicated a two- to fivefold increase in diarrhoeal disease during the outbreak, and following enquiries made by Environmental Health Officers it became apparent that many hundreds of people had suffered a diarrhoeal illness at that time. Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts were detected in the treated chlorinated water supply system, in the absence of faecal bacterial indicators. Oocyst contamination of a break-pressure tank containing final water for distribution was the cause of this waterborne outbreak. An irregular seepage of oocyst-containing water, which increased during heavy rains, was the cause of the break-pressure tank contamination, rather than a failure of the water-treatment processes. The waterborne route should be considered when clusters of cryptosporidiosis-associated with potable water occur. Waterborne cryptosporidiosis can occur in the absence of other faecal indicators of contamination.

A mixed outbreak of cryptosporidium and campylobacter infection associated with a private water supply

“…Difficulties encountered in maintaining the quality of private water supplies include old piping and seals, inadequate information on the layout of the systems, inadequate resources for maintenance, and the close association with livestock, with the consequent risk of contamination by animal faeces or carcasses. These problems are of course not unique to private supplies: the report of Smith and colleagues [14] …”

Microbial Analysis of Poultry Feeds Produced in Songhai Farms, Rivers State, Nigeria

“…Due to the simple digestive tract of birds and the intestinal flora making little contribution towards food digestion, it is necessary that poultry feed is complete (nutrients necessary for proper growth and egg production) and easily digestible [1]. Materials for formulation of feeds are sourced from different origin both animals and plants and are mostly agro wastes [2].…”

Outbreak of cryptosporidiosis associated with a disinfected groundwater supply

“…The first confirmed waterborne outbreak in the UK was traced to contamination of a water tank from a cross-connection with a land drain receiving water run off from an agricultural field [5]. Five hundred confirmed cases in another UK outbreak [6] led to a public expert inquiry into the problem of waterborne cryptosporidiosis [7].…”