Pools, Splash Pads May Help Spread Diarrhea Outbreak, Experts Warn

Contaminated water carries the parasite Cyclospora, which could cause an illness with violent symptoms that has spread to 34 states across the United States.

A splash pad at The Wharf in Washington, D.C. on July 13, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

Health experts say pools and splash pads may be contributing to the spread of the Cyclospora outbreak that is causing explosive diarrhea and other stomach problems for thousands across the country this summer.

The parasite spreads through germs getting into the mouth by drinking untreated water or accidentally swallowing contaminated water in swimming pools, hot tubs, or lakes, according to the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

The microscopic parasite that causes explosive diarrhea “can survive chlorinated pool water for a long time,” the clinic reported.

Dr. Rucha Mehta Shah, an Arizona gastroenterologist, said the same sanitation that kills E. coli does not kill this parasite.

“If your kids have been at splash pads this summer and are now sick—this is worth knowing,” Shah said on Instagram on Tuesday. “Those are hotbeds for feces, unfortunately, especially with young children.”

Shah suggested patients ask their doctors for stool tests specifically for Cyclospora. Standard tests won’t catch it unless they look for it by name, Shah said.

The parasite infects the small intestine, causing gastrointestinal symptoms that can wax and wane, making people feel sick one day and better the next, before falling sick again. Watery diarrhea is the most common symptom.

People can become infected when they drink water or eat raw food, usually raw produce, that is carrying the parasite, according to Cynthia Louis Sears, an expert in foodborne and intestinal infections at Johns Hopkins Medicine.

“Food picks up the parasite most often through water supplies that are infected with human feces,” Sears said in a July 14 article published by the school.

Sears advised people to avoid drinking untreated water from lakes, streams, springs, or other untreated water sources.

Washing hands with soap and water before handling or preparing raw fruits and vegetables is also advised, along with washing fruits and vegetables with running water before eating or cooking.

Cooking may kill the parasite, Sears said.

This undated photo taken through a microscope shows Cyclospora cayetanensis oocysts found in a fresh stool sample that had been prepared with a formalin solution and stained with safranin. CDC via AP

“Previous outbreaks were linked to bagged salad mixes and kits, fresh cilantro, fresh basil, raspberries, snow peas, and green onions,” Sears said.

It only takes a few parasites to infect a person, she said.

Most people become sick within one week of eating or drinking contaminated food or water, but it can also happen anytime from two days to two weeks after contact, according to infectious disease specialist Dr. Maryrose Laguio-Villa, with Rochester Regional Health.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating several outbreaks of the parasite infection to identify and confirm sources, according to the agency.

People jump into the water from a pedestrian bridge during a heat wave in the Pacific Northwest, at Lake Union Park in Seattle, on June 27, 2021. John Froschauer/AP Photo

“A specific food item has not yet been confirmed as the source,” the CDC reported. “Investigators are collecting as much information as they can to solve this outbreak.”

The agency said 34 states have reported 1,645 lab-confirmed cases as of July 13, and 141 required hospitalization. Sick people ranged from 2 to 95 years old, and 56 percent were female, according to the CDC. No deaths have been reported.

States with the largest clusters of cases are Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky, the agency said.

The Aquatic Council, a national accreditation organization, recommends that anyone experiencing symptoms avoid using public pools.

“Although swimming pools are not assumed to be the leading culprit of this spread, it is possible you could contract Cyclosporiasis via a swimming pool,” the Aquatic Council said in a Facebook post on July 12.

Disinfectant has been ineffective against Cyclosporiasis in pool water, according to the council.

“It is virtually immune to standard chemical chlorination,” the council added. “The best practice to avoid this illness spreading via public swimming pools is strict adherence to illness bans prohibiting pool usage by anyone experiencing symptoms, especially diarrhea.”