Confirmed Cryptosporidiosis Cases in Northeast Kansas Total 105

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has confirmed a total of 105 cryptosporidiosis cases in Northeast Kansas. As of end of business on September 22, there were 84 cases reported in Douglas County (of these 84 cases, 51 (61%) are in children 18 years or younger and 33 (39%)are in adults) and a total of 21 cases from Shawnee, Jefferson, Leavenworth, Wyandotte, and Johnson counties.

Five of the 21 can be linked to the outbreak in Douglas County (total 89 in NE Kansas with Douglas County connection). The remaining could have been acquired independently from the Douglas County outbreak or could be related through yet unrecognized links.

Johnson County reported two additional cases Monday bringing that counties total to 12, with no connection to the Douglas County outbreak at this time. There were no additional cases reported in Shawnee (4), Jefferson (2), Leavenworth (2), and Wyandotte (1) counties.

KDHE has contacted the Local Health Departments in Shawnee, Jefferson, Leavenworth, Wyandotte and Johnson counties about the possibility of transmission of Cryptosporidium, and is urging health departments to contact all physicians in these counties regarding this.
In addition, KDHE is removing Saline County from the list of Kansas counties where increased surveillance for cryptosporidiosis cases is occurring. The county was added in error.

Once the parasite is established in the community, local transmission could occur through person to person contact, daycare facilities, swimming and wading pools or recreational waters.

There is no reason to believe the public water supplies in any of these counties are impacted.

KDHE strongly recommends the following precautions to prevent further spread of the disease:

Hygiene:

• Wash hands thoroughly, especially after using the bathroom and before preparing food.
• Wash hands after changing diapers, or after caring for someone with diarrhea.

Daycares:

• It is recommended day cares enforce strict adherence to hygiene procedures and exclusion policies for children with diarrhea. Children with diarrhea should not be dropped off at daycares. Employees with diarrhea should be excluded from work.
• Wash hands after every diaper change, even if you are wearing gloves.
• Assist children with hand washing.

Swimming:

• Do not swim when ill with diarrhea or for two weeks after the end of diarrhea. Cryptosporidium is chlorine resistant.
• Do not swallow pool/lake/river water.
• Practice good hygiene (i.e. shower before swimming).

Restaurants:

• Employees should carefully wash hands after using the bathroom, before preparing food.
• Employees with diarrhea should be excluded from food preparation activities.

Drinking Water:

• Avoid drinking untreated water from shallow wells, lakes, rivers, springs, ponds and streams

High Risk Individuals:

• Immunosuppressed persons (undergoing cancer treatment, HIV/AIDS, organ transplant recipients and/or receiving steroid treatment) should be vigilant in following prevention guidelines as Cryptosporidium can cause life threatening, chronic diarrhea in persons with weakened immune systems.
• Persons ill with Cryptosporidium should avoid close personal contact with persons with weakened immune systems (see above). If persons with weakened immune systems become infected, Cryptosporidium can be a life-threatening disease.
• Children and pregnant women should take care to drink plenty of fluids to avoid the dehydration from diarrhea caused by Cryptosporidium. They should consult a health care provider for information on preventing dehydration.

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