[pct-l] Hand Washing

[CMountainDave@xxxxxxx (CMountainDave@xxxxxxx)]

In a message dated 3/12/03 8:39:16 AM, gbuffmd@bigfoot.com writes:

<<  And for certain watch out for =E2=80=9Cthe immune ones.=E2=80=9D

Their =E2=80=9Cimmunity=E2=80=9D may actually be a carrier state. >>
   Carriers and immune people are not one in the same. This web site was
passed around about a year ago. How about another look
:http://www.yosemite.org/naturenotes/Giardia.htm
   Here is a synoposis
Conclusions
In a recent letter [42] the Supervisor of the Inyo National Forest admitted=
:=C2=A0
=E2=80=9CAs to whether or not Giardia exists in the Sierra, we are not in a=
 position
to state a fact one way or the other.=E2=80=9D=C2=A0 This is a significant =
admission.=C2=A0 So
why do they persist in informing everyone that giardiasis is a potential
hazard when visiting the Sierra Nevada?=C2=A0
First:=C2=A0 They know that some waters might be contaminated by something,=
 and
Giardia is the organism on people=E2=80=99s minds so needs no elaboration.=
=C2=A0
Contaminated water is certainly possible at lower elevations and in some
locales.=C2=A0 Noting in particular that novice hikers cannot be expected t=
o make
correct choices of which sources may be safe to drink, they point out that a
conservative approach is to treat all water.=C2=A0
Second:=C2=A0 If a person believes, albeit incorrectly, that they contracted
giardiasis from Sierra Nevada water, they cannot accuse the Forest Service =
of
not warning them.=C2=A0 Potential confrontations are therefore avoided.
Unfortunately, this approach results in an incorrect perception of overall
water quality in the Sierra by the general public.=C2=A0 It also means that=
 if
someone contracts a gastrointestinal illness after a visit, they will be mo=
re
apt to blame the water, having been =E2=80=9Cforewarned=E2=80=9D that all w=
ater is suspect.=C2=A0
And so the myth is perpetuated.
Untreated Sierra Nevada water should be, almost everywhere, safe to drink=
=E2=80=94if
you =E2=80=9Cdrink smart.=E2=80=9D=C2=A0 If you don=E2=80=99t =E2=80=9Cdrin=
k smart=E2=80=9D you may ingest
diarrhea-causing organisms.=C2=A0 But it won=E2=80=99t be Giardia.=C2=A0
Because up to 1 in 14 of us carries the Giardia parasite, we all need to do
what we can to keep the water pure.=C2=A0 Defecate away from water, and bur=
y it or
carry it out.
Camp cooks in particular need to pay special attention to cleanliness.=C2=
=A0 Wash
hands thoroughly, especially before handling utensils and preparing meals.=
=C2=A0
If you contract giardiasis in the backcountry, blame your friends=E2=80=A6n=
ot the
water.
High Sierra water has far too few Giardia cysts for you to contract an
infestation from it. Even if you go somewhere where the concentration is
high, you probably won't get giardiasis. If you do get giardiasis, you
probably won't have any symptoms. If you have symptoms, they will probably =
go
away by themselves in a week or so. If they don't or you develop serious
persistent symptoms, you should seek medical treatment. Finally, those
contracting giardiasis may develop immunity to it, thus lowering the
likelihood that they will get it again.
There is certainly no reason for anxiety about giardiasis.=C2=A0 Fewer than=
 1
percent of those who have an infestation, or about 5 percent of those with
symptoms, need medical help.
Recommendation
Our wilderness managers are in a position to educate the outdoor public abo=
ut
the real culprit in the Giardia lamblia story:=C2=A0 inadequate human hygie=
ne.=C2=A0
When they acknowledge that Sierra Nevada water has fewer Giardia cysts than,
for example, the municipal water supply of the city of San Francisco, maybe
they will turn their attention to it.
The thrust of the following observation is long overdue:
=E2=80=9CGiven the casual approach to personal hygiene that characterizes m=
ost
backpacking treks, hand washing is likely to be a much more useful
preventative strategy than water disinfection! [=E2=80=A0=E2=80=A0]=C2=A0 T=
his simple expedient,
strictly enforced in health care, child care, and food service settings, is
rarely mentioned in wilderness education materials.=E2=80=9D 2
About the author
Bob Rockwell is an active mountaineer who made his first trip into the Sier=
ra
Nevada in 1952 to climb Mt. Whitney, and he repeats this climb several times
annually. He has a bachelor's degree in Physics from UC-Berkeley, and a PhD
in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Biomechanics) from Stanford.
In the course of making over a thousand ascents of hundreds of individual
Sierra Nevada mountains, he has never filtered or otherwise treated the wat=
er
and he has never contracted symptoms of giardiasis. Retired since 1990, he =
is
now able to fully indulge in his favorite pastime and spends more time ther=
e,
never treating the water, than ever before.