Parasite outbreak at Centreville High School

An outbreak of the parasite cryptosporidiosis at Centreville High School’s agriculture educaton program sent one student to the hospital and infected 12 others, according to the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency.
The outbreak is contained and the hospitalized student has been released.
The outbreak came in early March in the co-op vet/ag science program run through St. Joseph Intermediate School District and involving students from throughout the county, according to Rebecca Burns, environmental health director.
Crypto is a protozoan parasite spread through contact, often with water. There is no treatment except for fluids to ease dehydration. Infection typically ends within two weeks when the last parasites are expelled from the intestine.
The parasite is commonly found near calves and Burns said the health agency identified the calf program as the source.