US health officials have issued a bizarre – but apparently urgent – plea: stop swimming in public pools with diarrhea.
The warning comes after a report revealed eight Americans died, and 30,000 were sickened, by bacteria in hotel pools between 2000 and 2014.
The majority of illnesses were caused by a parasite called cryptosporidium, which can come from another person’s fecal matter.
It can survive normal chlorine levels, which is why people with such illnesses are urged to refrain from swimming.
‘Swallowing just a mouthful of water with Crypto in it can make otherwise healthy kids and adults sick for weeks with watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, and vomiting,’ said Michele Hlavsa, chief of CDC’s Healthy Swimming Program.
A report on pool-related sickness from 2000 to 2014 revealed a serious problem
‘Chlorine cannot kill Crypto quickly. We need to keep it out of the water in the first place. Don’t go into the water, and don’t let your kids go into the water, if sick with diarrhea.’
US public health officials report on safe swimming every year.
Thursday’s version from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention focused on outbreaks in 2000 through 2014 that were tied to swimming or bathing in treated recreational water spots.
In an average year, there were 15 such outbreaks and about 1,800 related illnesses.
The 493 outbreaks reported during the entire 14-year period resulted in at least 27,219 illnesses and eight deaths.
More than half of outbreaks started in the summer, the peak season for swimming.
The majority of illnesses (89 percent) were caused byCryptosporidium, also known as ‘Crypto’.
It spreads in pools when someone sick with the parasite has diarrhea in the water and other swimmers swallow that contaminated water.
Swimmers and parents of young swimmers play an essential role in preventing Crypto outbreaks.
The bacteria Legionella and Pseudomonas are the next most leading causes of these outbreaks, with 16 percent of outbreaks caused by Legionella and 13 percent caused by Pseudomonas.
Legionella can cause severe pneumonia and symptoms similar to the flu. Pseudomonas can cause hot tub rash and swimmer’s ear.
If a pool, hot tub, or water playground is not cleaned properly, bacteria can grow and form a slime called biofilm on wet surfaces.
Legionella and Pseudomonas can live in this biofilm. It is harder for disinfectants to kill these bacteria when they are protected by biofilm.
The CDC warns that pool operators need to maintain proper cleaning practices and disinfectant levels to prevent bacteria from growing and causing illnesses in swimmers.