CRYPTOSPORIDIOSIS AND PUBLIC-HEALTH - WORKSHOP REPORT

Representatives from 40 states and from regulatory and public health a gencies, water utilities, and advocacy groups met last year to discuss prevention and control of waterborne cryptosporidiosis. Workgroups ad dressed surveillance systems and epidemiologic study designs, public h ealth responses when oocysts are detected in drinking water, cryptospo ridiosis in immunocompromised individuals, and water sampling methods and interpretation of results. The groups defined problems associated with these issues and developed strategies that could be used initiall y to manage these problems. An outgrowth of the workshop has been the formation of the Working Group on Waterborne Cryptosporidiosis, which holds regular teleconferences, In addition, several task forces are wo rking to address strategies proposed in this report.