More than 200 people sickened after swimming in Washington lake

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Maverick

Maverick

Awesome Friend
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Joined
Mar 8, 2013
Messages
10,652
Location
Washington State - between 2 mountains and a river
This in my neck of the woods just because one is in the mountains away from civilization doesn't mean things are pure, this is very similar to what we call beaver fever here (giardiasis), though I am so use to the water beaver fever doesn't really affect me (at the moment)

"Reports of the unknown sickness surfaced over the weekend, and public health officials are working to determine the cause... experts suspect a norovirus might be involved"

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/...wimming-in-washington-lake/?intcmp=latestnews

"with one publication drawing the conclusion that protective immunity to the same strain of norovirus lasts for six months, but that all such immunity is gone after two years... spreads very rapidly either by person-to-person transmission or through contaminated food.[9] Many norovirus outbreaks have been traced to food that was handled by one infected person.. Norovirus is rapidly inactivated by either sufficient heating or by chlorine-based disinfectants, but the virus is less susceptible to alcohols and detergents, as it does not have a lipid envelope"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norovirus
 
Giardia is caused by a protozoa and is the reason you aren't supposed to drink the water in 3rd world countries. The most common cases of it in the US are in pets that drink from standing puddles and other pools of water that are stagnant. Symptoms are the same as those for the Norovirus: stomach pain and bloody diarrhea. At least Giardia can be treated with Metronidazole, an antibiotic that does kill the protozoa. There is no treatment but time for viruses. I recommended in another thread that people keep Metronidazole (common name Flaggyl) on hand for SHTF. Let's hope that's what those people have rather than the Norovirus, although they would have actually had to drink the lake water rather than just swim in it.
I remember reading a couple of years back about another microscopic critter that was commonly found in lakes and ponds where people vacation that had similar nasty symptoms, but I can't for the life of me remember the name of it or the treatment.
 
QuietH3art said:
Giardia is caused by a protozoa and is the reason you aren't supposed to drink the water in 3rd world countries. The most common cases of it in the US are in pets that drink from standing puddles and other pools of water that are stagnant. Symptoms are the same as those for the Norovirus: stomach pain and bloody diarrhea. At least Giardia can be treated with Metronidazole, an antibiotic that does kill the protozoa. There is no treatment but time for viruses. I recommended in another thread that people keep Metronidazole (common name Flaggyl) on hand for SHTF. Let's hope that's what those people have rather than the Norovirus, although they would have actually had to drink the lake water rather than just swim in it.
I remember reading a couple of years back about another microscopic critter that was commonly found in lakes and ponds where people vacation that had similar nasty symptoms, but I can't for the life of me remember the name of it or the treatment.
Click to expand...

beaver fever is common here primarily in slow moving streams, generally caused by the wild animals in these parts
 
I love Google. I just looked up Beaver Fever. It actually is Giardia and yes, wild animals would have an immunity to the protozoa due to continual exposure, as you seem to also have. People in 3rd world countries have immunity to it, as well. But... having immunity doesn't mean you and they aren't carriers. It really is something you have to consume, though. Do you drink a lot of that slow-moving water? You need a Lifestraw for that.
Think about it... it lives in feces... travels by water. Ewwww.
 
you should _always_ boil regardless.

Thats why now I am aiming to stock up on Sawyer Grav Filters. They're small enough to be carried in a BOB, plus a lifestraw when you don't have the luxury of time, You're set for water.
 
Maverick said:
This in my neck of the woods just because one is in the mountains away from civilization doesn't mean things are pure, this is very similar to what we call beaver fever here (giardiasis), though I am so use to the water beaver fever doesn't really affect me (at the moment)

"Reports of the unknown sickness surfaced over the weekend, and public health officials are working to determine the cause... experts suspect a norovirus might be involved"

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/...wimming-in-washington-lake/?intcmp=latestnews

"with one publication drawing the conclusion that protective immunity to the same strain of norovirus lasts for six months, but that all such immunity is gone after two years... spreads very rapidly either by person-to-person transmission or through contaminated food.[9] Many norovirus outbreaks have been traced to food that was handled by one infected person.. Norovirus is rapidly inactivated by either sufficient heating or by chlorine-based disinfectants, but the virus is less susceptible to alcohols and detergents, as it does not have a lipid envelope"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norovirus
Click to expand...


In North Texas and Oklahoma lakes we battle three major waterborne related illnesses from swimming in our lakes and rivers. Blue Green Algae and E-coli are the two main culprits, but lately we have had confirmed incidences of MRSA and Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis, PAM which is a one-celled organism, Naegleria fowleri, is found naturally in most lakes and ponds, is forced up a swimmers nasal cavity and then destroys the lining of the brains membrane causing a meningitis related illness, fatal if not treated.

Another treatment for Giardia is the use of nitroimidazoles, brand name is Trindamax. Flagyl is the accepted treatment, but on occasions their are failed treatments and patients who are initially diagnosed should have a follow-up test to rule out, if treatment failure occurs, a second course of action is recommended.

Either way, Maverick, if you've been exposed, I'd recommend as a former health care professional to be tested. Just a concern that is all.
 
After all of this talk of water contaminants, I once again began looking at filters for the nasty water they deliver to us here. I cannot find any filter (that I can afford) that will filter out fluoride and chlorine, much less anything else. So, today I went and purchased distilled water in 2 1/2 gallon containers that sit on the refrigerator shelf and have a spigot on the front of them. They were $3.00 each, so I started out with 10 of them. I will use those for drinking, cooking, etc., from now on.
 
Silent Bob said:
In North Texas and Oklahoma lakes we battle three major waterborne related illnesses from swimming in our lakes and rivers. Blue Green Algae and E-coli are the two main culprits, but lately we have had confirmed incidences of MRSA and Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis, PAM which is a one-celled organism, Naegleria fowleri, is found naturally in most lakes and ponds, is forced up a swimmers nasal cavity and then destroys the lining of the brains membrane causing a meningitis related illness, fatal if not treated.

Another treatment for Giardia is the use of nitroimidazoles, brand name is Trindamax. Flagyl is the accepted treatment, but on occasions their are failed treatments and patients who are initially diagnosed should have a follow-up test to rule out, if treatment failure occurs, a second course of action is recommended.

Either way, Maverick, if you've been exposed, I'd recommend as a former health care professional to be tested. Just a concern that is all.
Click to expand...

I probly get exposed all the time, beaver fever doesn't really bother me plus I see my doctor once a month, he signs me off on a clean bill of health, city folk coming up here is another story they about drink from anything not realizing they downstream from game trails and/or beaver dams/camp sites etc... I always have a water purifier with me and depending where I am at I may boil then use the purifier
 
Maverick said:
I probly get exposed all the time, beaver fever doesn't really bother me plus I see my doctor once a month, he signs me off on a clean bill of health, city folk coming up here is another story they about drink from anything not realizing they downstream from game trails and/or beaver dams/camp sites etc... I always have a water purifier with me and depending where I am at I may boil then use the purifier
Click to expand...


Okie Dokie Maverick...just hate seeing people sick. Each person has a different level of handling enteric diseases...giardia is something to fool with, but then, I should talk, I've been roto rootered several times and done so many stool samples that I am one for the medical journals...still zip on the diagnosis, other than I have a good case of diverticulosis. However, I know that I need to keep well hydrated and avoid certain foods.

As for the city folks drinking the water without a filter...well that is part of why I believe we shall have a thinning out of the population grid because people will be exposed to a ton of waterborne illnesses and will not have access to modern health care after the SHTF.
 
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