What can immunosuppressed persons do to avoid infection with Cryptosporidium?
A. Follow these recommendations: • Avoid sexual practices that may result in exposure to feces. • Avoid drinking water directly from lakes, rivers, ponds, or streams. • Avoid swimming in lakes, rivers, streams, ponds, public swimming pools, or recreational water parks. • Avoid working with diaper-aged children. • Avoid contact with feces of all animals, particularly young farm animals such as calves. • Always wash hands thoroughly: after any contact with animals, after any contact with soil (e.g., gardening), after changing diapers, before eating, or before preparing food. • Consume only water that has been purified by boiling for 1 minute, or by treatment with certain filters. For more information, refer to the publication Cryptosporidium: What you need to know to protect yourself. This FAQ was written by David G. Addiss, Susan Goldstein, Dennis D. Juranek, and Thomas Navin of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, USA.
