Alex Hickey The waterborne disease giardia is "very widespread" in Hawke's Bay and one of the simplest ways to combat it is by washing your hands, says public health specialist Lester Calder. The Hawke's Bay District Health Board medical officer was responding to reports that the region had one of the country'shighest infection rates of the disease, an infection of the small intestine that causes chronic diarrhoea and abdominal cramps. A New Zealand Medical Journal report showed that between 1996 and 2000 the region had "elevated levels" of giardia. Dr Calder said that was no surprise because Hawke's Bay was mainly rural. Any rural area with high numbers of farm animals and wildlife in close proximity to water supplies could be at risk, he said. New Zealand had one of the highest rates of the disease in the developed world. It spread when animal faeces came in contact with drinking water or food. Drinking water obtained from lakes, river, roof or bores, especially in rural areas, could be contaminated easily. It was important that water from such sources was chlorinated and filtered. The disease was also spread "person to person" and the safest way to prevent its spread was through basic hygiene; washing hands after going to the toilet, or coming in contact with babies' nappies, handling food or domestic or farm animals. The disease could be treated with anti-microbial tablets. Auckland University health researchers found that the pattern of infection was seasonal, peaking in late summer and early autumn, with a low incidence in winter and early spring. The summer peak probably reflected more outdoor activities and more contact with contaminated water, the researchers said. Children under four were most likely to be affected by giardia. Symptoms included chronic diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, bloating, nausea and fatigue. * From October 2003 to September 2004, Hawke's Bay had 75 cases of the disease, with an infection rate of 52.4 percent.
