Yes, you can develop cysts from your drinking water

Gross huh? Have you ever had a cyst before? Giardia and Cryptosporidium are two common parasites that can be found in your everyday drinking water. These parasites will produce cysts that are very resistant to harsh environments. When you ingest them, they reproduce and in turn cause serious illness within your body. If you think you can see these parasites, think again. They’re only 6 to 10 microns long.

Giardia, also known as “beaver fever”, will cause diarrhea, abdominal cramps, gas, malaise, and wait loss. You’ll most likely be upchucking your last meal as well. Once the parasite has entered your body, you should feel these symptoms about 16 days later and these symptoms can last up to about 1 month.

Cryptosporidiosis is similar with the most common symptoms being diarrhea, cramps, vomiting, and headaches. These symptoms will occur about 25 days into the infection and will only last about 1 or 2 weeks.

Now for the most disgusting part… These parasites are found in feces. They are passed along through human, beaver, muskrat, cattle and dogs when their poop hits water. If the treatment to the water isn’t up to par than the water will have enough parasites to cause the illness. Remember when you were at the pool as a child and all of a sudden there was an evacuation in the wave section? Yeah, that’s because someone pooped and you really don’t want to be swimming around with those parasites.

These parasites can also be found in sludge, which is something farmers have been using as fertilizer for a very long time. It’s funny really, because in the US the EPA has been offering sludge to farmers to use for their crops but if people get sick from the sludge, the farmers are the ones who get sued. Catch 22 don’t you think? Really we should be putting the sludge where it belongs, in a sanitary landfill to protect public health and the environment.

Chlorine itself can inactive giardia but unfortunately cannot eliminate cryptosporidiosis. Recent research has found that black light can eliminate both of them. When you’re doing some camping outdoors and are looking to drink lake water, make sure you’re boiling it for at least one minute before preparing food or drinking it. A lot of third world countries you have to boil the water before using, as you will get sick if you drink it.

If you have any experiences with cysts tell us about it down below!

– K