Image by fernando zhiminaicela from Pixabay
The Hopkins County Health Department is investigating a Giardia outbreak in their jurisdiction. So far, there have been 24 reported cases.
What is Giardia? How do you become infected? What should you do if you get sick?
Here’s what we know so far about the Giardia outbreak in Hopkins County, Kentucky.
The Hopkins County Health Department recently announced their investigation into a Giardia outbreak on their website and social media pages.
“This outbreak is being tracked by the Hopkins County Health Department epidemiology nurses, the state regional epidemiologist, and the state epidemiology department. We are searching for commonalities in the cases. Currently, there is no conclusive evidence on a source. If this becomes available, we will notify the public.”
According to Denise Beach, Public Health Director for Hopkins County Health Department, the department usually sees one or two cases a year. When the case count rises to 24, there is a clear problem.
“That was unusual for our area in that time frame, so we started watching it,” said Beach.
In addition to their continued investigation for a source, local health officials are speaking with those who have become sick. An attempt to discover the original source.
“Do they live in the same geographic area? Have they been to the same pool or lake? Have they eaten at the same restaurants?”
Sick people are asked to consider these questions for the week or two prior to falling ill.
This Giardia outbreak involves the microscopic parasite known as Giardia.
We often associate foodborne illnesses with bacteria. But viruses and parasites can also contaminate food and spread illness.
In the case of Giardia, this illness can be foodborne (from infected food workers), waterborne (from contaminated water supply, including municipal water systems), or from the environment.
In fact, Giardia infections are one of the most common causes of waterborne disease in the United States.
You can become infected with Giardia in several different ways. From swallowing contaminated water, from eating contaminated food, as well as person-to-person contact.
Swallowing contaminated water is one of the most common ways to become infected with Giardia parasites.
Whether from agricultural runoff, animal feces, or contamination with wastewater, ground and surface water have many opportunities for contamination. Even pools and spas are vulnerable. Either from animal contamination, children in diapers, or infected people with diarrhea.
You can become infected by eating contaminated food.
Food can become contaminated from food handlers infected with the parasite that do not wash their hands thoroughly. Contamination may also happen if raw produce is irrigated or washed with contaminated water.
Fortunately, cooking kills Giardia parasites. However, drinking water is usually considered safe and does not undergo that kind of heat treatment unless a boil water ordinance is in place. So water is often a Giardia source more so than food.
Giardia infections happen through what is called “fecal-oral-route.” It is exactly as gross as it sounds. Contaminated feces enters the mouth in some way. Even microscopic amounts of contaminated feces can cause infection.
Sometimes it is obvious. You change a diaper, help someone in the bathroom, or come into contact with another person’s poop in some other way.
Others are not so obvious.
A Giardia outbreak is not uncommon with children in child care centers and child care workers, because kids generally do not have the self-awareness that most adults have. Putting their hands down the back of their pants to scratch an itch and then continuing to play with community-use toys. That type of thing regularly happens. If a child is infected with Giardia, other children are likely to share that germ as well.
Sharing is caring, after all. Except when it comes to a Giardia outbreak.
Once infected, Giardia parasites take up residence in the intestines of people and animals. While here, they reproduce and begin causing symptoms.
Before leaving the body through fecal matter, these microscopic parasites encase themselves within protective shells called cysts. Doing so allows them to survive outside of the intestines in the environment for months.
Once consumed, cysts dissolve, releasing the parasite to infect the new host.
The life cycle goes on and on.
Some lucky people never develop signs or symptoms of infection. Despite being asymptomatic, they can still spread infection to others.
For those who do get sick, symptoms may include:
Most people begin feeling sick between one and three weeks after exposure. Illness typically lasts two to six weeks. Sometimes longer.
Several medications are used to treat giardia parasites. But not everyone responds to them.
While Giardia infections are almost never fatal in the United States, illness can persist for quite some time.
With watery diarrhea as a common symptom, several complications can develop with prolonged illness.
When the body loses more water than it takes in, you become dehydrated. Dehydration can impact several organ systems and lead to hospitalization and organ failure.
Lactose intolerance, the inability to properly digest milk sugar, can be a long-term complication of Giardia infection. While the condition may clear up over time, the problem can often persist long after the Giardia infection has resolved.
A complication known as “failure to thrive” can impact the physical and mental development of children. This happens when chronic diarrhea caused by Giardia infection leads to malnutrition.
As with most illnesses, there is a golden rule of preventing Giardia infection.
Wash. Your. Hands.
It is simple. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Do this after using the toilet, helping someone in the bathroom, after changing diapers, and before eating or preparing food.
When soap and water are not available, an alcohol-based sanitizer can be used. But wash your hands as soon as possible. Alcohol-based sanitizers are not effective at destroying Giardia in the cyst form, so you may still become sick or pass on the infection.
Additionally, be sure you are only consuming, cooking with, or washing your hands with clean water. If water may be contaminated or otherwise compromised, boil it before use. Bring water to a rolling boil for at least one minute, then allow it to cool.
If you become sick in a Giardia outbreak or experience a Giardia infection, there are a few things you should do.
I cannot stress this enough. Effective hand washing can prevent the spread of many types of illnesses. Including Giardia infections.
Wash your hands!
If you are sick with Giardia infection, do not prepare food for others. If possible, have another family member take on that task until you are no longer infectious. If you work in the food industry, follow your local heath department’s guidelines for intestinal illness and report your condition to your supervisor.
If you have become seriously ill from a Giardia outbreak or Giardia infection, it is a good idea to get advice from an experienced Food Poisoning Lawyer.
Medical bills, lost work, caring for a sick loved one, and other burdens associated with Giardia infection add up. A Food Poisoning Lawyer can answer questions that you have, and even some that you have not thought of.
If you have been impacted by this Giardia Outbreak and wish to make a legal claim, The Lange Law Firm, PLLC has a Food Poisoning Lawyer that can help.
The Lange Law Firm, PLLC has successfully represented cases just like yours and won millions of dollars in food poisoning and products liabilities lawsuits.
Reach out by calling (833) 330-3663 or send us an email for a free, no obligation consultation.
Don’t wait. Call today to get the justice you deserve!
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a new Salmonella outbreak on July 9,…
The Grandview Hotel is the source of another Legionnaires’ outbreak in Sin City. This comes…
A recent uptick of Legionnaires’ disease in Odessa has local health officials warning residents. Here’s…
An outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease at Harrah’s Laughlin Beach Resort and Casino has sickened at…
A Salmonella outbreak at Ramsey’s Diner linked to Missy’s Pies has sickened at least 10…
Meadow View Jerseys raw milk dairy is the subject of another raw milk contamination concern.…