Diarrhea-Causing 'Crypto' Parasites Are Surging in the UK
An illustration of crypto parasites in their infectious spore-like stage of life being released from their hardy cysts.
The UK is currently dealing with an alarming rise of crypto—the diarrhea-causing intestinal parasite, not the baffling currency. In a report this month, health officials documented a much higher number of cases than expected so far in 2023. It’s not clear yet why crypto is surging in the country, though the increase may be tied to international travel.
In medicine and biology, “crypto” has long been the shorthand for Cryptosporidium, a genus of microscopic protozoa that usually infect the gut and cause gastrointestinal illness in humans and other animals (both the parasites and disease they cause are commonly called crypto). The infection can easily spread through direct contact with an infected person’s poop, but crypto parasites are also hardy enough to survive for months in soil and water.
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So far, at least, there doesn’t seem to be an easy explanation behind the crypto surge. Officials haven’t identified any specific sources of exposure or settings that might give rise to a large outbreak, such as recreational pools or drinking water supplies. But surveys of infected people have yielded some potential clues. Compared to last year, the percentage of people reporting recent travel to other countries hasn’t changed, but it’s possible that the surge could be tied to people visiting specific regions or to swimming more frequently this summer.
“Our initial findings would suggest that swimming (either in the UK or abroad), including the use of pools, and foreign travel to a variety of destinations may underlie the current increase,” the report authors wrote.
The team says they’re working with travel-related public health agencies in the UK to ensure that travelers are informed about crypto, and they are corresponding with other health authorities in Europe to further investigate the surge.
As for the average person worried about catching crypto, some practical steps to take include: not swallowing swimming water (especially if it hasn’t been treated), making sure your at-home meals are well-cooked, and avoiding unpasteurized milk and other food products. In general, people who have recently experienced diarrhea should also wait at least two weeks before getting into a shared body of water.
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