As chance would have it, Sterling had stumbled into another research whirlwind when he discovered that Cryptosporidia were a much larger health hazard than anyone had imagined. In fact, thanks in part to a new diagnostic test that Sterling developed, the protozoan is being discovered in AIDS patients and in water supplies around the world.
TUCSON, Ariz.--When tap water turns out to be less healthful than once thought, scientists aren't the only ones who notice. At one time, Cryptosporidium, a water-borne parasite that causes diarrhea, was not considered to be a problem in public water supplies. Now public health officials aren't so sure it can be ignored. A new diagnostic test has found that this pathogen is quite common. In one survey, it showed up in 77 of 107 water samples taken in six Western states. As a result, debates about Cryptosporidium have moved from the laboratory to the agendas ...
