Visitor at Old MacDonald's Farm Diagnosed with Cryptosporidium

The Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Department was notified that a visitor to Old MacDonald’s Farm in Bever Park was diagnosed with cryptosporidium. The farm opened on Monday, May 10. Two calves were placed in isolation on Wednesday, May 12, with potential illness. One calf was transported to the vet on Thursday and passed away at the clinic over the weekend. The cause of death was not verified at the time and the farm closed temporarily for deep cleaning of pens as a precaution. The second calf is well but will be returned to the farm that it was donated from for the remainder of the season in an overabundance of caution.

Cryptosporidium can occur on farms, especially in cattle, and it is likely that the calves arrived to Old MacDonald’s Farm previously exposed to the illness. The illness was not transmitted to other animals at the farm.

Cryptosporidium, or Crypto, is a diarrheal disease that can cause watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, dehydration, nausea, vomiting and fever. It is transmitted through feces and can be passed by touching your mouth with contaminated hands. Any potential risk is limited to those who visited Old MacDonald’s Farm on Monday, May 10 or Tuesday, May 11 only, and who were in the calf pen, touched feces and then touched their mouth. 

If you are exhibiting the symptoms of Crypto please seek assistance from your physician. Old MacDonald’s Farm continues to be open. Pens have been deep cleaned and disinfected twice since isolating the calves.