The Camping Water Filter

So much has been said and written about the importance of clean drinking water. It is impractical to repeat them here. What is important to know right now is what makes drinking water unsafe. Contaminants make water unfit for human consumption. For this reason, people treat their water with chemicals, home water filtration, or a camping water filter just to remove illness-causing microbes, sediments, and chemicals.

One microbe that makes drinking water unhealthy is the microorganism called Cryptosporidium. What is with Cryptosporidium that makes water unhealthy and unsafe to drink?

Cryptosporidium is microbial pathogen or parasite belonging to the protozoan group under the phylum Apicomplexa. When Cryptosporidium infects the human body, it causes a diarrhea-like illness known as cryptosporidiosis, which primarily affects the intestinal tract of mammals. The symptoms are similar to cholera, and infection can lead to death especially among those whose immune systems have been weakened.

Unlike other protozoan pathogens, Cryptosporidium does need insects to be its vectors. Within just one host or victim, it can already complete its life cycle. The life cycle would in turn produce microbial cysts which are excreted in feces. Once the feces are excreted, Cryptosporidium can transfer to a new victim or host. For a fact, it is also the organism most commonly isolated in HIV positive patients presenting with diarrhea. It is also typically an acute infection that runs only for a short term. The main symptom of cryptosporidiosis is self-limiting diarrhea in people with intact immune systems.

The fact alone that Cryptosporidium is a parasite surely makes anything contaminated with it unhealthy and unsafe. Parasites, by their very nature, are always selfish pests that derive nourishment from their hosts while harming their hosts at the same time. The other thing that makes Cryptosporidium hard to combat is that their oocysts or eggs have high resistance to disinfectants such as chlorine-based bleach. This resistance enables them to survive for a long time, making disinfectants ineffective. Instead of dying, the stronger they get. Cryptosporidium can survive any environment for months.

The good news is that you can effectively remove Cryptosporidium from your drinking water. Since it is hard to remove with bleach or chlorine, the safer way to remove Cryptosporidium is to purify your water using a home filtration system or a camping water filter.

One disease-causing microorganism that can be present in dirty water is the protozoan contaminant called Giardia lamblia. It is a flagellated protozoan parasite that can take two forms. It can exist as an active trophozoite which causes diseases after it is ingested or it can also be a quiescent cyst that infects water or food. One could not easily detect the presence of these parasites in drinking water since they are not visible to the human eye. However, most reputable chemical purification systems, camping water filter, or home water filtration system are able to remove such parasites or their cysts.

Despite their minute size, the presence of Giardia lamblia in water could lead to serious complications. The major detriment of this parasite is giardiasis. Once you take in contaminated water, the parasites begin to invade the lining of the small intestines and interfere in the process of carbohydrate and fat absorption from digested foods by the body. It usually begins with severe watery diarrhea. Other symptoms include abdominal cramps, loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting. These indicators could last up to seven days or longer.

This infection is most commonly experienced by people who travel to industrialized nations. People who swim in public pools. Children who attend day care are also at a high risk of this infection. Hikers and campers who rely on untreated surface water are, as well, threatened by this illness. Healthy individuals do not get infected by this disease. However, the awful thing about it is that they can pass on the infection on to others. The disease can be spread so easily that a hand-to-mouth transmission can make one acquire such illness.

If water gets contaminated, it no longer gives any benefit to you. Instead, it brings harm to our body. Thus, you should be knowledgeable about what makes your drinking water unhealthy.

Like an engine that runs out of oil, the proper functioning of the body also stops if it runs out of water. Water is essential to the human body. In fact, it makes up 85% of your brain, 80% of your blood, and 70% of our muscle. Therefore, to make sure that the water you are drinking is free of Giardia lamblia, you should subject it to water purification methods such as purification tablets or a camping water filter.

Drinking unsafe water is dangerous. It might contain bacteria that can be harmful to your health and could cause different kinds of illness. Thus, it is always a good idea to to make water safe for drinking by treating it properly by using purification tablets, boiling, or by using a camping water filter or a home water purifier.

One of the most commonly known bacteria that can be found in drinking water is Escherichia coli. It is a type of bacteria commonly found in the intestines of animals and humans. It can seep into the water system through human wastes, animal feces, or even from contaminated food. During heavy rainfall it may be washed off into creeks, rivers, lakes and other bodies of water. Water from these places may possibly end up becoming drinking water. The presence of E. coli in water can also be a sign of sewage or animal waste contamination.

E. coli can produce deadly toxins in your body and can cause severe illnesses. Its infection often causes diarrhea, and in most cases, there are no signs of fever manifested in the person. Symptoms of infection usually appear within two to four days, but it can also take up to eight days at times.

Also, you should keep in mind that E. coli infections are not limited to water alone. You can also get these bacteria from contaminated food by just putting your food on a dirty counter top. This might be very dangerous and fatal for your health.

E. coli can also be obtained through physical contact. It is actually a common way for the infection to spread. It can easily be transmitted from one person to another. When infected adults and children do not wash their hands properly, they might pass the bacteria on to other family members.

There are ways to avoid E. coli infections. To prevent bacteria from growing in your own home, thoroughly wash anything that comes in contact with raw meat. Always wash your hands and drink purified water. With modern technology, different kinds of water treatments are now available.

If you manifest some of the symptoms of having been infected by this bacteria you have to go to a doctor for a check up. Most infections are not life-threatening, but these bacteria can cause some serious, and sometimes, fatal illnesses. In most cases, the infections just clear up on their own. Resting and drinking lots of fluids is the most you can do with this.

Drinking clean water is very advisable since this water has already been treated with some purifying agents that could kill the bacteria in it. If you dislike the aftertaste of water disinfected with purification tablets, you can use a camping water filter or a household water purifier. You should never take chances, because you can never be too sure. It is best to be careful and watchful of what you take in since your health is indeed very important to overlooked.