Recreational Water Illness Outbreak Response Toolkit

The following information is intended to help state and local health departments respond to outbreaks of recreational water illnesses (RWIs). While some downloadable documents below are cryptosporidiosis-specific, they can also be used as models when creating similar documents for other pathogens. Likewise, though these documents focus on parasitic diseases, some of the information can be used or adapted for use in non-parasitic RWI outbreaks. All documents can be downloaded and altered as needed.

General Information

• Helpful Tips for Recreational Water Illness (RWI) Outbreak Response

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Investigation

• Recreational Water Illness (RWI) Outbreak Questionnaires
• Environmental Health Outbreak Investigation Survey: Swimming Pool Venue
  • Environmental Health Outbreak Investigation Survey: Swimming Pool Venue - Word [Word - 138 kb]
  • Environmental Health Outbreak Investigation Survey: Swimming Pool Venue - PDF [PDF - 192 kb]

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Pool Remediation

• Hyperchlorination to kill Cryptosporidium (Revised August 2010) [PDF - 83 kb]

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Communication

• Cryptosporidiosis Outbreak Response & Evaluation (CORE) Guidelines [PDF - 224 kb]
• Recreational Water Illness (RWI) Outbreak Sample Letters. Sample letters for sending to persons and community partners likely to be impacted by a cryptosporidiosis or other recreational water illness outbreak.

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Data Management

• FREE Epi Info™ software. With Epi Info™ and a personal computer, epidemiologists and other public health and medical professionals can rapidly develop a questionnaire or form, customize the data entry process, and enter and analyze data.
• Sample line list to keep track of drinking water-related disease outbreak cases. Please use legal (8.5" x 14") size paper for printing.
  • Sample Outbreak Case Tracking Line List - Word [Word - 54 kb]
  • Sample Outbreak Case Tracking Line List - Excel [Excel - 14 kb]

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Laboratory Diagnostic Assistance on Parasitic Diseases

• DPDx. The goal of DPDx is to use the internet to strengthen diagnosis of parasitic diseases, both in the United States and abroad. Users can browse through concise reviews of parasites and parasitic diseases, including an image library and a review of recommended procedures for collecting, processing, examining, and shipping biologic specimens.

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Reporting Waterborne Disease Outbreaks

Submit waterborne disease outbreak reports to CDC via the electronic National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS).

• NORS reporting forms for health jurisdictions that do not have access to NORS
• NORS training materials for the electronic system and the reporting form

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