Primary prevention
Primary prevention is by practising good hygiene (e.g., frequent handwashing), avoiding faecal exposure and ingestion of contaminated food or water, particularly in endemic areas. Preventive measures include not drinking unboiled or unfiltered tap water and not consuming food that may have been washed in contaminated water. Ingestion of water during recreation, particularly in surface waters, swimming pools, water parks, and splash pads, should be avoided. At the collective level, improving sanitary infrastructure is important. Hand washing is important before preparing, serving, or eating food; after contact with animals or their dung; after toileting children or changing nappies; and after contact with someone with diarrhoea. Immunocompromised patients may also wash, peel, or cook all fresh produce, and patients with HIV should be treated with antiretroviral therapy where necessary to maintain their CD4 counts.[41] Although contact with pets may not be a public health risk, immunocompromised patients should avoid pet faeces, contact with young livestock, faeces, faecally contaminated surfaces, and contact with young children with diarrhoea.
Secondary prevention
Household and institutional transmission occurs. Patients should be advised about hand hygiene, and should not share towels within the household. Children with diarrhoea should not attend school or day care until 48 hours after the diarrhoea has stopped. Infected food-handlers and those who care for vulnerable patients should remain off work until 48 hours after the end of symptoms. Patients should not go in public swimming pools for 2 weeks after the end of the diarrhoea, to avoid risk of transmission. CDC: cryptosporidiosis - prevention & control Opens in new window
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