Health officials have launched an investigation into an outbreak of a diarrhea-causing parasite in Yellowstone County.
City-County Public Health Department RiverStone Health have reported 26 confirmed cases so far this year—nearly triple the caseload in 2023—with 29 additional suspected infections.
"We've had people exposed at multiple swimming areas in Yellowstone County, Montana," Casey Page, a spokesperson for RiverStone Health, told Newsweek. "This includes licensed and private pools as well as open water like rivers, lakes and ponds. We have also seen local people infected with [the parasite] during travels outside of the state."
The parasite in question is called Cryptosporidium, also known simply as "Crypto." According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the parasite can live in water, food, soil, and surfaces that have been contaminated with infected poop. When ingested, the infectious microbe can cause a disease called cryptosporidiosis.
Symptoms of cryptosporidiosis include diarrhea (which RiverStone Health described as "profuse and watery") and sometimes vomiting.
"Diarrhea may wax and wane, but commonly stops in otherwise healthy individuals within 30 days," RiverStone Health said in a statement.
The last time Yellowstone County public health officials investigated a Crypto outbreak was in 2013. The parasite is usually spread through public swimming pools, although it can also be spread through contaminated surfaces, especially diaper changing units.
"We are not identifying specific water sources because there have been infections from multiple places, so it is impossible to single out a specific water source," Page said.
The release comes after a similar investigation was launched in Northern Kentucky amid dozens of infections reported from swimming pools. The Northern Kentucky Health Department have said that their offices had been "swamped" with phone calls, and one leisure center has shut down in response to the outbreak.
"If you're healthy, the parasite is nasty, but you shouldn't be in any significant danger," Skip Tate, public information officer for the Northern Kentucky Health Department, told Newsweek.
"The danger with those symptoms is they can lead to other issues, such as dehydration, which can cause other more serious health issues. As a result, infants and those who are immunocompromised are most at risk since they don't have the strength to fight off the bug, its symptoms, and the associated issues."
To avoid catching and spreading Crypto parasites, RiverStone Health recommend the following:
- Avoid swallowing water while swimming.
- Ensure small children wear watertight swim diapers.
- Wash your hands with soap and water after swimming or playing in the sand to avoid infecting food and surfaces.
- Shower before swimming.
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