U.S. Drinking-Water Systems Still Haven’t Defeated This Nasty Parasite
Thirty years ago a tiny parasite in the water supply in Milwaukee, Wis., touched off the largest waterborne disease outbreak in U.S. history. Although that city’s water is now renowned for its high quality, public health departments across the country are still battling the same diarrhea-inducing organism. What makes it so tough?Reports of gastrointestinal illnesses throughout the Milwaukee area began pouring into the city’s health department in April 1993. A local infectious disease physician eventually identified a case…