Cryptosporidium

[Paul Corrin]

Walked the Ingles during Oct.. Rained quite a lot and we were prepared for that I used over-shoes and trainers which were used every day. On and off, maybe I got some mud, or brown stuff on my hands!? Anyway, losing weight now is not worth the extreme symptoms! A lot of Caminos are near to or on farm tracks. Many toilets are clean but try to wash hands each time (20s). Take care to use elbows to open door handles. Care with food washing. I used a water bottle with a Brita filter. My companion was fine, he drank from my water bottle in the lid. Tried to be safe, can only think it was mud etc from over-shoes. Take care, this parasitic live in companion has to be reported by Dr to Envionment Agency. Takes 4 weeks to move on. The human body is a marvellous thing! Buen Camino!!

 

[Deleted member 67185]

The Brita filter does not remove parasites or pathogens; it is solely limited to various mineral and chemical reductions like chlorine. There are extremely lightweight and highly effective backpacking water filters which take care of parasites and most or all pathogens. And there are also the old chemical stand-by drops and tablets which have a high rate of effectiveness.

I always carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer in a hip belt pocket. Prior to eating, drinking or touching my face, I will use it. After toileting as well. I never rely on hand washing, alone, in public facilities as much of the time, once hands are washed, you end up using your hands to touch contaminated door knobs or handles to get out of the bathroom. So even after hand washing, once outside I am using the hand sanitizer.

 

[SMBHNL]

Tried to be safe, can only think it was mud etc from over-shoes.

I'm curious about the overshoe you wore. Can you please describe it? Thanks, Steve

 

[wayfarer]

Life straw is a good option to use if you are going to use drinking water from public fountains and it does filter cryptosporidium.

LifeStraw Baby Boys Personal Water Filter-1 Pack, Blue: Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors

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[Dromengro]

Oops! I misread your post as Cryptozoology, not as exciting as I expected.

 

[natefaith]

Walked the Ingles during Oct.. Rained quite a lot and we were prepared for that I used over-shoes and trainers which were used every day. On and off, maybe I got some mud, or brown stuff on my hands!? Anyway, losing weight now is not worth the extreme symptoms! A lot of Caminos are near to or on farm tracks. Many toilets are clean but try to wash hands each time (20s). Take care to use elbows to open door handles. Care with food washing. I used a water bottle with a Brita filter. My companion was fine, he drank from my water bottle in the lid. Tried to be safe, can only think it was mud etc from over-shoes. Take care, this parasitic live in companion has to be reported by Dr to Envionment Agency. Takes 4 weeks to move on. The human body is a marvellous thing! Buen Camino!!

I have never heard of this but it sounds like an awful way to transition back home! Feel better soon

 

[wayfarer]

It is a pretty grim infection, there are outbreaks here from time to time in some of the public water systems and the effects of the infection as described are pretty bad.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Advice we were given which has held good over the years:-
Either use a specialist filter which removes all the nasties, like @wayfarer says, or drink bottle water and never, ever, accept ice in a drink. We also carry hand sanitiser as @davebugg suggested.

 

[wayfarer]

The Life Straw is more for wild hiking than situations like the Camino, you could bring one for emergency's only. Like Tia says, use bottled water, its more dependable.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

For bulk water disinfection (filling water bottles), Katadyn's BeFree water filtration system is what I currently use for backpacking. As can be seen, the soft and collapsible nature of the bottle allows it to compact down to a small bundle and it can be used as a water bottle; it is lightweight, and it is extremely effective. It is also what I take on Camino as part of the quick disconnect and refill system for my water reservoir.

Other highly rated and effective products for backpacking are made by MSR and Sawyer.

It used to be that for effective water filtration, you carried a small canister type of device with a small lever that pumped untreated water through a flexible hose that you placed into the water from a stream or lake or puddle, etc. The disinfected water emerged from the opposite end of the canister which was attached to your water bottle/container. In general, those systems - which are still available - are much heavier, bulkier, and slightly less effective overall than the mini filters that exist today.

Those who are familiar with Katadyn know that they are a long time maker of exceptional water filtration products for expeditions and wild hiking and camping. MSR has that same reputation.

I am putting together a quick and dirty guide about water treatment options for suspect water sources for a separate thread.

 

[Paul Corrin]

I'm curious about the overshoe you wore. Can you please describe it? Thanks, Steve

I bought the overshoes online. Designed for motorcyclists I believe they have a rubber, slightly treaded sole. Your whole foot with trainers on slips into and on top of the sole from the back zip of the uppers. The uppers are made of waterproof black Gortex type material. Waterproof zip up the back from heel to the top of calfs. The top also has an elastic over fastening band secured with Velcro. It was a risk not taking any other shoes but light trainers and these overshoes. It did rain A LOT, and I never had a problem with wet trainers at evening meal or next day. My companion said they looked like wellies, but who cares when it’s pouring down. The thinking behind these was provoked by seeing people trying to use black bin bags over boots on previous Caminos. However, as with all waterproof material, when you are walking in ponchos for hours the condensation buildup is considerable, but not as bad as Spanish rain.

 

[Paul Corrin]

Oops! I misread your post as Cryptozoology, not as exciting as I expected.

Yes, 4 weeks of boredom interspersed with episodes of extreme diarrhoea

 

[Walton]

I am putting together a quick and dirty guide about water treatment options for suspect water sources for a separate thread.

Dave - Could your guide be called a "Quick and Wet guide about water treatment options for suspect water sources"

or maybe "Quick and Dry Guide about water treatment options for suspect water sources".



Looking forward to reading your guide.....whatever you call it!

Cheers

 

[sojourners]

The Brita filter does not remove parasites or pathogens; it is solely limited to various mineral and chemical reductions like chlorine. There are extremely lightweight and highly effective backpacking water filters which take care of parasites and most or all pathogens. And there are also the old chemical stand-by drops and tablets which have a high rate of effectiveness.

I always carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer in a hip belt pocket. Prior to eating, drinking or touching my face, I will use it. After toileting as well. I never rely on hand washing, alone, in public facilities as much of the time, once hands are washed, you end up using your hands to touch contaminated door knobs or handles to get out of the bathroom. So even after hand washing, once outside I am using the hand sanitizer.

Good advice, speaking from much experience traveling 3rd world and having had everything from Typhoid to...unmentionable diseases.

 

[michael]

I used a Steripen usb model for many years collecting water out in remote parts of Scotland. General advice was 'if you cant see a dead sheep upstream of you it will probably be ok'.
Trouble is you never know if the Steripen is working effectively until it doesn't and you feel a bit odd waving a blue light about in your water bottle. I convinced myself that it only works stirred clockwise never widdershins.
Never had a problem so assumed it worked. Changed to an MSR Trailshot which is a bit more of a faff as you have to pump the water and does require maintenance of the filter.
If bottle water is available stick to that.

 

[jpflavin1]

I only drink bottled water on my Camino's. That said, I do carry a life straw just in case. I also keep one in my truck at home. They are inexpensive and light weight.

 

[Paul Corrin]

I used a Steripen usb model for many years collecting water out in remote parts of Scotland. General advice was 'if you cant see a dead sheep upstream of you it will probably be ok'.
Trouble is you never know if the Steripen is working effectively until it doesn't and you feel a bit odd waving a blue light about in your water bottle. I convinced myself that it only works stirred clockwise never widdershins.
Never had a problem so assumed it worked. Changed to an MSR Trailshot which is a bit more of a faff as you have to pump the water and does require maintenance of the filter.
If bottle water is available stick to that.

Just bought a Purewell collapsible water bottle. Has a good filter system. 1000L filter life. Reasonable price on Amazon UK.

 

[trecile]

I only drink bottled water on my Camino's. That said, I do carry a life straw just in case. I also keep one in my truck at home. They are inexpensive and light weight.

I've never had a problem with tap water on the Camino. I fill up at the albergue/pension/hostal, and rarely at the public fountains.
I hope that people reading this thread don't get the impression that water in Spain isn't safe to drink, because overall it is very safe.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

rouble is you never know if the Steripen is working effectively until it doesn't

Yup. . I hate the things, as mentioned in a separate thread on a guideline for water treatment.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Advice we were given which has held good over the years:-
Either use a specialist filter which removes all the nasties, like @wayfarer says, or drink bottle water and never, ever, accept ice in a drink. We also carry hand sanitiser as @davebugg suggested.

Whenever I order a Fanta or Coke mid day if I'm thirsty...the colder, the better. I always ask for ice in a glass, then pour the pop over it. The ice cubes look perfectly formed like from a factory. Is this OK or am I possibly setting myself up for an infection eventually? So far, so good on five caminos. I also fill my own water bottle, but only with potable water.

 

[trecile]

Whenever I order a Fanta or Coke mid day if I'm thirsty...the colder, the better. I always ask for ice in a glass, then pour the pop over it. The ice cubes look perfectly formed like from a factory. Is this OK or am I possibly setting myself up for an infection eventually? So far, so good on five caminos. I also fill my own water bottle, but only with potable water.

Don't worry about the ice or the water! Spain is not a third world country. The water system is very good. What @Paul Corrin experienced is a very rare occurrence.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Whenever I order a Fanta or Coke mid day if I'm thirsty...the colder, the better. I always ask for ice in a glass, then pour the pop over it. The ice cubes look perfectly formed like from a factory. Is this OK or am I possibly setting myself up for an infection eventually? So far, so good on five caminos. I also fill my own water bottle, but only with potable water.

No worries. Spain is not Mexico or some third world country. Its water is as safe as any in France, Germany, Switzerland, or the US.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Whenever I order a Fanta or Coke mid day if I'm thirsty...the colder, the better. I always ask for ice in a glass, then pour the pop over it. The ice cubes look perfectly formed like from a factory. Is this OK or am I possibly setting myself up for an infection eventually? So far, so good on five caminos. I also fill my own water bottle, but only with potable water.

As @trecile says the tap water in Spain should be fine. However we still prefer to drink bottled water and avoid ice as an extra precaution. It is part of our background not a reflection on Spain. We use a Berkefeld filter at home - gravity feed but otherwise similar to the Katadyn filter.
The advice about ice cubes is for areas where the water is doubtful and we would not use the fountains even those marked potable - just in case a problem had developed. Again a personal decision. Often the locals can use water which might affect us personally while others would have no problems at all. The OP's problem, as he said, most likely came from dirt picked up in the mud/muck and transferred to his mouth or water supply.
Hope he is now recovering well.

 

[Paul Corrin]

I've never had a problem with tap water on the Camino. I fill up at the albergue/pension/hostal, and rarely at the public fountains.
I hope that people reading this thread don't get the impression that water in Spain isn't safe to drink, because overall it is very safe.

Yes, I have never had a problem either with tap water. I put it down to the torrential rain making the mud etc easy to get on hands, toilet door handles etc. There are so many sources of cryptosporidium, my post was just to advise people to be careful Buen Camino

 

[jpflavin1]

I've never had a problem with tap water on the Camino. I fill up at the albergue/pension/hostal, and rarely at the public fountains.
I hope that people reading this thread don't get the impression that water in Spain isn't safe to drink, because overall it is very safe.

Trecile:

Let me be clear. I do not distrust tap water or ice from a bar, restaurant, etc. in Spain. That said, I do not drink from questionable sources. In ten Camino's, I have never used the straw.

I carry the straw just in case something might happen on a rural Camino I am on and need water from a questionable source. I also mentioned I carried one in my truck. I also carry one in my back pack. I do that just in case, not because I question tap water or ice in another country.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Paul Corrin]

No worries. Spain is not Mexico or some third world country. Its water is as safe as any in France, Germany, Switzerland, or the US.

Yes, I agree, the general water supply is fine, especially in towns. But, walking a Camino, rural (poor), farm tracks, animals close by. Cafes, bars with toilets used non-stop by pilgrims walking, sometimes in distressed condition! The general point I am making is to be very careful! I have 5 certificates, this was my first encounter with cryptosporidium. If this thread has helped one person avoid it, I am happy. Buen Camino

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Yes, I agree, the general water supply is fine, especially in towns. But, walking a Camino, rural (poor), farm tracks, animals close by. Cafes, bars with toilets used non-stop by pilgrims walking, sometimes in distressed condition! The general point I am making is to be very careful! I have 5 certificates, this was my first encounter with cryptosporidium. If this thread has helped one person avoid it, I am happy. Buen Camino

In this thread, we are talking about two separate issues, really.

1. Drinking water safety. Whether in Switzerland, Germany, Spain, America, etc, if you drink from the municipal systems the water is safe.

2. Environmental contamination, which is what you have described and were afflicted by. The crypto illness was seemingly an issue of cross contamination from contact with dirt and/or objects, like wash basin handles or doorknobs, or mud, etc. That is why your point about paying attention to personal hygiene, before handling food or drink, in the form of hand washing or hand sanitation, is so very important.

Somehow, number one got 'muddied up' with number two creating a cross contamination into discussions of drinking water safety.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

You clarified it well, Dave, and got us back on track!

 

[rbowie]

Water in Spain is safe. However, I prefer to use boiled water where I can.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Water in Spain is safe. However, I prefer to use boiled water where I can.

Is this an oxy moron.