Clue 3
A view through the microscope of Crypto in feces (poop).
Your investigation skills pay off! After talking with the kids and parents, you discover that the patients did not eat the same foods and quickly rule out foodborne illness.
Test results for 9 sick kids who attended the party came back positive for Cryptosporidium (or "Crypto"). The health department puts out an alert to encourage testing for Crypto (since it's not routinely done in most laboratories). Soon after, a local hospital reports 13 new Crypto infections in patients who did not attend the birthday party.
Definition
A view through the microscope of Crypto in feces (poop).
What is Cryptosporidium (or "Crypto")?
Crypto is a parasite that can cause watery diarrhea (that lasts a week or more), stomach cramps or pain, vomiting, and tiredness. Crypto is easily spread between people and from animals to people. You can get Crypto by:
Coming into contact with feces (poop) of a person or animal infected with Crypto and then touching your mouth.
Eating uncooked foods contaminated with (containing) Crypto.
Swallowing water contaminated with Crypto.
Symptoms usually begin within a week of infection and can last a week or more in people with healthy immune systems. Learn how to protect yourself from getting sick.
Health Tips
When washing hands, wet hands, apply soap, rub hands together for at least 20 seconds, and rinse under running water. Dry with a clean towel or air dry.
Kids and adults can take steps to help protect themselves and others from Crypto and other germs:
Practice good handwashing, especially before eating, after using the toilet, changing diapers or helping someone use the toilet, and handling an animal or animal waste.
Don't swim when you have diarrhea. You can spread germs in the water and make other people sick.
Don't take kids sick with diarrhea to child care facilities until the diarrhea has stopped. This will help protect other kids and staff.
3. What do you think is the most important thing for your team to do next?
Answer 1: Determine if the new cases are connected to the outbreak from the party
[Correct]
You are right on target! A less experienced Disease Detective might have simply assumed the patients are connected since they are all infected with Crypto. The best way to find out if the cases are connected is to interview the patients to see what (if anything) they have in common.
Keep working to solve this outbreak!
Answer 2: Interview the new patients to see what they have in common
[Correct]
If it isn't food that's causing these cases, you'll need to figure out how this parasite is being spread. The best way to find out if the cases are connected is to interview the patients to see what (if anything) they have in common.
Keep working to solve this outbreak!
Answer 3: Stop the investigation because you identified the germ that caused the outbreak
[Incorrect]
Even though you know Crypto caused these cases, you need to do a little more investigating. It's important to figure out how patients were infected with the parasite to help prevent others from getting sick.
So, you decide to call the new patients to see what (if anything) they have in common and determine if their sickness is connected to the outbreak from the party.
Keep working to solve this outbreak!