s arrival hot Leading to mass relocation of swimming pools and aquatic leisure centres. Perhaps ignoring recreational activities in swimming pools, spas, jacuzzi, lakes, rivers or oceans exposes us to various infectious diseases that usually affect the digestive system, skin or respiratory system.
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In Spain alone there are more than 1.2 million private swimming pools, either for single-family homes or for communities of owners, whose waters must be monitored to prevent the growth of pathogenic microorganisms. This figure must also be added to the more than 70,000 swimming pools for public use.
The pathogenic microorganisms that we can find in recreational waters are diverse: Pseudomonas, protozoa, staphylococci, fecal streptococci, fecal coliforms, such as the famous Escherichia colitotal coliforms, norovirus and even Legionella, which are commonly found in heated pools or spas.
There are no global figures for Spain, but in the US between 2015 and 2019, more than 3,600 people fell ill after bathing in poorly sanitized water in swimming pools, jacuzzis and water parks. A total of 286 people were hospitalized and 13 died.
Are you allergic to swimming pool chlorine?symptoms and treatment
More than half of pools have feces in them
Specifically, there is Escherichia coli It is a specific indicator of aquatic fecal contamination, and its detection leads to the immediate closure of swimming pools to sanitize the water.
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About 0.14 grams of fecal matter (the equivalent of a few grains of sand) is enough to contaminate a swimming pool. This is why patients with diarrhea should not bathe.
A study conducted at public pools in the United States during the summer swimming season confirmed that swimmers routinely bring feces into the pool water.Specifically, the analysis found that 58 percent of pool filter samples tested positive for Escherichia coli.
swimmer’s ear
The same study found Pseudomonas aeruginosa 59% of the samples. According to technical hygiene standards, the limit for the presence of this bacterium in swimming pool water is zero colony-forming units per 100 ml of water.
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa This is a serious public health concern because it can cause two infections, commonly known as bathtub folliculitis and swimmer’s ear.
Symptoms of the former include rashes and very itchy red bumps on the skin, as well as pus-filled blisters around hair follicles. People with swimmer’s ear experience itching, discharge, and pain in the infected ear.
bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa It can also cause infections of the cornea or urinary and respiratory tracts. There may even be occasional headaches, muscle aches, burning eyes, and fever.
colic and diarrhea
Giardia duodenum and Cryptosporidium They are ubiquitous intestinal protozoans that parasitize domestic and wild animals, as well as humans.
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They are the leading cause of most gastrointestinal illnesses spread through contaminated water and food worldwide.Both cause watery diarrhea with cramps Giardia.
Contaminated drinking and recreational water accounts for the majority of water exposure Cryptosporidium kind. in high-income countries. Cases in Europe and the United States occur frequently every year.
In the United States, between 2015 and 2019, Cryptosporidium There have been 76 outbreaks linked to bathing with poorly sanitized water in swimming pools, hot tubs and water parks, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 2,492. The worst outbreaks were in Milwaukee, USA in 1993, with 400,000 cases, and in Sweden in 2010, with 27,000 cases.
Chlorine Disinfection
Chlorine is the most commonly used disinfectant in swimming pool water. It kills bacteria by attacking lipids in the cell wall and disrupting enzymes and structures inside the cell.
The chlorine that remains in the water after killing the entire microbial population is called residual free chlorine. Its value must be between 0.5 and 2 mg per liter, as a lack of chlorine or exceeding this limit will cause the pool to close.
Residual combined chlorine in water is responsible for eye irritation and bad odor, and is caused by free chlorine combining with other non-pathogenic substances present in the water.
The pH is also measured periodically and should remain between approximately 7.2 and 7.8.
If the pH is acidic (less than 7), the bather’s mucous membranes, eyes, skin, etc. may be damaged. The elements and materials that make up your pool deteriorate faster.
Conversely, if the pH is too alkaline (above 8), the sanitizer will not work effectively, users may experience skin problems, and algae and microbes will multiply rapidly in the water, which may take on a green tinge.
What to do if your child drowns in the pool? What if he’s already floating upside down?
Baths of rivers and lakes
recently detected Cryptosporidium hominis and other species of Cryptosporidium in Galician wild foxes may indicate a possible overlap between forest and domestic cycles of this parasite in rural settings. If there is active transmission between farm animals and wild animals, the potential for transmission to humans exists.
This is one reason why bathing in natural areas such as rivers, lakes, or uncontrolled streams is not recommended. Likewise, it is dangerous for pets to swim in water with blooms of microalgae, diatoms, cyanobacteria, or dinoflagellates because they may be poisoned. The high presence of these organisms can turn the water green or blue-green, or even take on an orange/red or yellow/brown hue. Potential toxins produced by marine dinoflagellates alone are responsible for more than 60,000 poisonings per year, with a global mortality rate of 1.5%.
Back to the swimming pool, to avoid infection as much as possible, we must ensure that the bath water is clean and regularly maintained, avoid swallowing water when swimming, and not bathe when sick. Try not to urinate in water, or change diapers by the pool. A quick shower before getting in the water is another important precaution, as is keeping pets out of the water. When out of the water, carefully dry your ears to prevent infection. If at any time we witness or become aware of a fecal incident, it is advisable to notify pool staff immediately.
published articles on dialogue by the doctor Raul Rivas Gonzalez, ,Member of Spanish Society of Microbiology. Professor of Microbiology at the University of Salamanca.