HEALTH chiefs have issued a warning to Irish people heading on holidays to Spain over a "serious stomach bug" - as cases are on the rise. Health authorities have reported that there has been an alarming increase in tourists returning to Ireland with serious stomach problems, such as diarrhoea and vomiting. It is believed that it was caused by a contagious condition called cryptosporidiosis, a microscopic parasite that lives in the gut of infected humans.
Health chiefs noted that most of the cases have been reported from Irish tourists coming home from Salou in the Catalonia region in Spain . Under the travel alert issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs, they said: "There have been reports of increased levels of cryptosporidiosis, a potentially severe stomach bug, reported from areas of Spain, particularly Salou in Catalonia. "The HSE is advising people to take extra hygiene precautions when travelling in this area.
More information can be found on the HSE’s website." The infection can be spread by swallowing a contaminated object, drinking contaminated water or contaminated water from a swimming pool, jacuzzi, lake or river. It survives easily in water and does not get killed by chlorine, which is used to kill other biological organisms in drinking water.
But it can be removed from the water by using a filtration and ultraviolet light treatment, which kills Cryptosporidiosis oocysts. Another method is to boil your water as it is most likely to kill the parasite and oth.