North Shore cryptosporidium outbreak climbs to 19 cases
In a follow up to a report Friday, the North Shore Health Department in northern suburban Milwaukee has reported two additional confirmed cases of the parasitic disease, cryptosporidiosis.
The two new cases brings the outbreak total to 19 cases with more cases expected in the future.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Cryptosporidiosis is a diarrheal disease caused by microscopic parasites, Cryptosporidium, that can live in the intestine of humans and animals and is passed in the stool of an infected person or animal. Both the disease and the parasite are commonly known as “Crypto.”
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 recognized as one of the most common causes of waterborne disease (recreational water and drinking water) in humans in the United States. The parasite is found in every region of the United States and throughout the world.
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