This is why backpackers should universally adopt the fist bump in place of the hand shake. Many thru hikers do this already. Also not share food like trail mix, unless you know with great certainty that your friend has impeccable bathroom hygiene standards.adamschneider wrote:This is old news, but someone did an interesting meta-analysis that concluded:
Published reports of confirmed giardiasis among outdoor recreationalists clearly demonstrate a high incidence among this population. However, the evidence for an association between drinking backcountry water and acquiring giardiasis is minimal. Education efforts aimed at outdoor recreationalists should place more emphasis on handwashing than on water purification. Further studies should attempt to separate the specific risk factor of drinking water from backcountry sources from other behaviors among this group that may contribute to the risk.
Bacteria can also be a concern, like from the rotting elk carcass you can't see that's lying in the stream a half mile away.Koda wrote:correct me if I'm wrong but I thought the only wild water consumption threats are parasites or viruses and we don't have viruses here and the only threat we have in our PNW region is giardia?
Personally I think the risks of drinking wild water are low if one chooses their water sources carefully, but as has been mentioned, filtering is wise unless you can acquire your water at or very near the source.
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