By K. Nepsa
A friend of mine recently went hiking along the Arizona Trail, at the tail end of monsoon season. She reported many wonderful sights and found peace in the natural backdrops of Arizona. She also reported to have drunk from fresh, running water using a portable water filter. Life was good. Until it wasn’t.
Not long after heading off the trail, she complained of abdominal cramping. Lucky for her, it was mild and seemed to have run its course. However, not all hikers are as lucky. Looking back, she suspects it may have been something in the water, but was never able to really prove it. Casual recreationalists, hikers, off roaders…beware. We live in a hot climate, where bacteria and protozoa can thrive. The water is best cleaned under the ground surface, as it passes through sands. Sands and gravels act as very good filters. Running water is definitely better than standing water. However, running water can also encounter contaminants along the way.
Protozoa (pronounced: pro-toe-ZO-uh) are one-celled organisms, like bacteria. Bacteria are also one-celled organisms. Both like moist environments, including soil. But protozoa are bigger than bacteria and contain a nucleus and other cell structures, making them more similar to plant and animal cells. Protozoa sometimes eat bacteria and algae as food sources.
The two most commonly occurring types of biological contaminants found in groundwater and in drinking water, are the protozoa Cryptosporidium and Giardia lamblia.
Cryptosporidium is typically found in lake and river water and in groundwater. Ingestion of this protozoa results in stomach cramps, nausea and damage to the immune system. This protozoa is related to animal or human waste contamination of groundwater. It cannot be eliminated through chlorination, but only through boiling. Your portable, hand-held water filters will not eliminate this particular protozoa.
Giardia lamblia is a protozoa commonly found in water, food or soil that has been contaminated by animal feces. Contact with this protozoa can cause intestinal disorders like diarrhea, vomiting and nausea. The following methods are appropriate for eliminating Giardia: boiling, micro-filtering or introduction of iodine.
So, what about the brain-eating amoeba (a type of protozoa) that induces panic among water-bound recreationalists? This is a heat-loving amoeba, called Naegleria fowleri, which typically live on lake bottoms, grazing off algae and bacteria in the sediment. According to Michael Beach, a specialist in recreational water-born illnesses for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “People shouldn’t panic about the dangers of brain-eating amoeba. Infections are extremely rare when compared with the number of times a year people come into contact with water. Easiest way to avoid it, is to plug your nose when swimming or diving in fresh water.” Scientists suspect this amoeba can attach itself onto a person’s olfactory nerve when plunging into the water, especially at higher speeds, like cliff jumping or diving.
It’s important to remember that while dangers lurk everywhere in our physical world, it’s not necessarily a reason to stop enjoying hobbies that you love. The key is to be aware of your surroundings, do your research, take necessary precautions…but still try and enjoy your life!
References:
Fox News, Arizona Teen Becomes Sixth Victim this Year of Brain-Eating Amoeba, last updated March 25, 2015, accessed on October 8, 2021, foxnews.com
K. Nepsa has a B.S. in Geology and a Master’s in GIS. She has lived in Arizona, HI, CA and Shanghai, China. Her hobbies include enjoying the outdoors via Jeep, Kayak, horse or foot. She has been a Vail resident since 2005.
