Illustrating "Cryptosporidium" as a Newly Recognized Threat to Clean Water

Clean water standards and treatments are not sophisticated enough to detect and eliminate Cryptosporidium which infects approximately 10 million people in the US annually. One epidemic occurred in Milwaukee and about 400,000 cases were diagnosed with 100 people dying of the infections. Detection involves intensive microscopic examination for oocysts in stool samples and treatment involves a coagulant to remove parasite-carrying particulates. The Cryptosporidium life cycle can be presented to biology students on an overhead projector and various classroom resources are described.