Rural areas at far higher risk from Cryptosporidium

THE incidence of cryptosporidium is much higher in rural Ireland than in the more urbanised east of the country, the first national study of the water-borne disease shows.

Figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) show the highest rate of 2004-2006 cases were in the HSE West, a figure partially explained by the Galway outbreak in 2005.

In the HSE West region, there were 22.5 cases per 100,000 population.