Originally published November 2 2005
Missouri health officials remain baffled by parasite infections
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
The Missouri Department of Health has yet to determine the original source of 57 cases of infection attributed to microscopic parasites.
The Madison County Health Department said Monday that no one source was discovered for illnesses caused by microscopic parasites that sickened dozens of people earlier this year.
Between the first reports on Aug. 8 and the last on Sept. 14, the department in Missouri received word of 57 cases of the illness, said registered nurse Carolyn Amelunke.
Despite work to determine where the illness began, no starting point was identified, she said.
The Fredericktown municipal swimming pool voluntarily shut down after the first cases were identified.
One of the first children with a confirmed case was at the pool, but several of those infected with the parasite had not been there.
It is expected to open again next season, Amelunke said.
She said it's common for the source of such illnesses to remain undetermined.
"Most of the time, you don't know," she said.
The majority of cases were an illness called cryptosporidiosis, though there were two reports of giardiasis, both caused by tiny parasites.
Symptoms included diarrhea, nausea, headache, low-grade fever and loss of appetite.
School superintendent Kelly Burlison said water fountains in the roughly 1,900 student district were turned back on in mid-October.
The district is continuing to use a diluted bleach solution to clean, and is emphasizing thorough hand washing with soap.
The Centers for Disease Control said the parasites that caused the illnesses can be found in soil, food, water or on surfaces that have been contaminated with infected human or animal feces.
Infection occurs when the parasite is swallowed.
People cannot become infected through contact with blood, according to fact sheets about the illnesses.
Doctors may prescribe drugs to treat the illnesses, but those with healthy immune systems often recover without treatment, the CDC said.
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