Concerns have been raised by public health officials, following a Cryptosporidium outbreak, within the Mid-West Region, latter which consists of counties Tipperary, Clare and Limerick.
Public health chiefs are urging the public to be vigilant around the washing their hands with soap and water, in their attempts to try to offset the risk of contracting this parasitic disease, following an increased recent outbreak here in the mid-west region.
Crypto lives in the gut of infected humans or animals. An infected person or animal sheds Crypto parasites in their poop, resulting in an infected person shedding 10,000,000 to 100,000,000 Crypto germs in one single bowel movement. Shedding of Crypto in poop begins when symptoms like diarrhoea begin and can last for weeks, after symptoms come to a halt. Swallowing as few as 10 Crypto germs can cause this infection.
The present announcement, confirmed by the Department of Public Health Mid-West, comes after it had managed a recent outbreak on a farm within the region.
In this case, alcohol hand sanitiser is NOT effective against Cryptosporidium, and washing hands with hot water and soap is the most effective form of hand hygiene.
With newly born Spring farm animals being petted, same incurs an increased risk of exposure to Cryptosporidium, especially among young children. Officials confirm that there were some 121 cases of Cryptosporidium recorded in the Mid-West region in the year 2021, which amounted to almost three times more, the number recorded the previous year (2020) and the highest infection rate yet recorded over the past 10 years.
Those employed working in agriculture are being asked to maintain regular hand-washing with hot water and soap, and also to test and treat their well water, in order to reduce the risk of any infection.
Local authority grant schemes for private wells in the Mid-West are readily available to well owners.
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