Aqua Mira doesn't kill giardia?

[Alligator]

That is one of the results of having an Iraqi ISP.

Get somebody else to crank the generator while you post!

[SGT Rock]

LOL. More like get a new guy to hold the satalite dish still.

"HEY ALI - A LITTLE MORE TO THE LEFT!"

[woodsy]

Seems like alot of info to decifer in order to make a decision on what is the easiest route to go. And the easiest(disenfectent) such as the Katadyn Micro Pur takes four hrs. to treat, inconvienent, but kills alllllll the bugs effectively according to Army research link. If it wasn't for the crypto bugs it would be alot simpler. Boiling for one minute to kill crypto bugs was suggested at this link. So a combo of boiling and Aqua Mira or Deatrick should work for all bugs.
What is your take on it ?

[SGT Rock]

As I have said before. I haven't hear of an outbreak of Giardia or Crypto on the AT yet.

There are, however, stomach bugs and viruses that people seem to deal with on a regular basis. The last big outbreak on the trail was Hep A. SO, playing the numbers, and fighting the enemy - the lightest, cheapest, easiest way to go is the best overall plan. Iodine will kill the critters cheap, easy, and it isn't any harder than using a filters or more odd chemicals - and if you plan it right it is as light if not lighter. If the iodine is a concern, use the Vit C neutralizer too.

But, I still say with all this, washing your hands is probably a whole lot more effective than any treatment or filter will be when it comes to staying healthy.

[Blissful]

I used AM when I took some friends out who had never been backpacking. It was river water, red in color (Red Creek in WVA), kind of cloudy. Followed the instructions they gave for that kind of water. No problems from anyone.

I'm going with it for my thru.

[SteveJ]

I'm looking for an expert to discuss "the real" issues with drinking water in the backcountry for The Great Southeastern Hiking Festival. If anyone knows of any engaging speakers who are knowledgeable about the subject, please send me a PM.

Hi, Mowgli - pm sent....

Steve

[lbbrown]

Has anyone tried the UV-Aquastar? Info for it at www.uvaquastar.com .
The uv-c light is supposed to toast everything.

[greentick]

I wonder if you can use cypro (sp?) on that. That is what they gave me in OIF 1 when I got dysentery.

No. Cipro for bacteria.

Flagyl for the giardia parasite. 90% of the folks taking flagyl will wish they were dead if they get near alcohol. In the name of science I tried it several years ago while at the end of my treatment for Giardia - was amused to find that I am a 10%er. Wu-hoo! There are now some meds that are recommended ahead of flagyl - tinidazole (one time dose) and nitazoxanide (3 day course). I have no experience with the newer regimens.

[VictoriaM]

Quack...another problem. For reasons I don't care to get into right now, I can't use any filter or treatment that isn't safe for pregnant women. All the chemical treatments seem to be unsafe. Guess I'm back to the filter. Oh well.

[greentick]

Quack...another problem. For reasons I don't care to get into right now, I can't use any filter or treatment that isn't safe for pregnant women. All the chemical treatments seem to be unsafe. Guess I'm back to the filter. Oh well.

or boiling...

[peter_pan]

goos article...THX.

Pan

[SteveJ]

clip

(If the strength of the bleach is unknown, add ten drops per quart or liter of filtered and settled water. Double the amount of chlorine for cloudy, murky or colored water or water that is extremely cold.)

clip

I have a buddy that exclusively uses bleach while backpacking. He called the clorox company before deciding to rely on this. They told him to use 4 drops of regular unscented clorox bleach per quart of water for clear water. Wait 20 minutes and sniff - if there's a faint smell of chlorine, it's ready to drink. If not, add 4 more drops, wait and sniff again. I figured it must be pretty reliable for them to tell some Joe that was calling them that it's OK.

I use Aqua Mira. Before I decided to drop the 15 oz filter, I did some research on this. After reading The Weasel's law thread, I hesitate to review what I found then without citing sources, but just don't have time to do the research now! My recollection is that chlorine dioxide, the chemical formed when the 2 components of AM are mixed, does kill all commonly found (in the US) bacteria, including giardia, within about 20 minutes (longer for colder water). The exception is cryptosporidium, which takes 3 hours. I have a buddy with the CDC who I also consulted then, and he generally agreed with what I found when I mentioned it to him on a backpacking trip. I believe he said this wouldn't be that safe overseas because viruses exist there that AM won't kill that aren't common here.

OK, I've cited a buddy I had a conversation with 2 years ago, discussed research I vaguely remember from 2 yrs ago, and another buddy who I haven't talked with about it in 2 years! Consider the source!

Seriously, tho, if there is real research that says that chlorine dioxide doesn't kill giardia or any other bacteria common to the US, I'd be interested in seeing it....

YMMV, consider the source, etc!

Steve

[Mr. Clean]

just remember that if you add bleach to water that has any color to it, you will be producing trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids in your drinking water, both of which are cancer causing. If the water is clear, you're all set.

[Spock]

"As I have said before. I haven't hear of an outbreak of Giardia or Crypto on the AT yet." SGT Rock

Yep. Forgitaboutit. Surveys show 9 percent of filterers get giardia; 6 percent of chemical treaters get it; 3 percent of non-treaters get it. Contradictory? Not when you realize hikers are not getting it from the water. They get giardia from sharing utensils, water bottles, food from other hikers with poor personal hygiene or from themselves for the same reason. Wash your hands and don't share utensils. Simple.

See the book, Long Distance Hiking: Lessons from the Appalachian Trail, Roland Mueser. pp 92-101.

[SGT Rock]

Actually Spock, not to quibble, but that that was were people that reported getting sick - not actual confirmed cases of Giardia. Read it again. Got quite a few articles around here that say chances are very good that people who think they have giardia but don't have a doctor confirming it are probably wrong. More likely a stomach virus or some other sort of bacteria.

[grysmn]

Aqua pure is a bianry purifier, That is the treatment in two seperate bottles is relitively benign until combined and relitively benign after a time limit of tens of minutes. The treatment is most potant at the instant of combination and the effectiveness probily decreases along the curve of a natrual log graph when applied concerning potancy-vs-time. Due to the human factor there are many varibles to make an assumption for a general person in a general situation. Though for a person who always follows directions the treatment should be effective.
Keep in mind that no treatmentis one hundred percent effective. Your bowls can handle a certain level of germ and bacteria ingestion, in fact this ingestion is necessary for digestion. It is when this bacteria and germ concentration reaches high levels that sickness results, usually the high concentrations are associated with dissolved fecal material, or from fecal material transmitted from ones rectum to mouth through the lack of soap and or toilet paper.
The point is that most any purifacation, filtration when combined with proper sanitary habits will be up to the task of maintaining healthy bowls

[smokymtnsteve]

Actually Spock, not to quibble, but that that was were people that reported getting sick - not actual confirmed cases of Giardia. Read it again. Got quite a few articles around here that say chances are very good that people who think they have giardia but don't have a doctor confirming it are probably wrong. More likely a stomach virus or some other sort of bacteria.

why do U hate filters so much??

[MedicineMan]

because they are so heavy and they clog.
1oz supersaturated iodine crystals will last/treat several THOUSAND gallons of water....that is pure iodine crystals....just dont ingest the crystals, use only the supernatant fluid that surrounds them...if I- sensitive or preggers leave them alone.

[smokymtnsteve]

well just let ur trail dog carry the heavy filter

[Kerosene]

I just read an article in a BackpackingLight magazine about effectiveness in treating the biofilm present in most water sources. Most treatments are lab-tested against free-floating organisms, which are harder to kill once they "congregate" into colonies protected by a biofilm. In summary, the findings highlighted that water filters were ineffective, and in fact biofilm can propogate around the filter elements. Aqua Mira was consistently the most effective, especially at 2X dosage levels, with the Miox UV pen giving marginal results. The iodine crystals of Polar Pure did not fare well in these tests.