How safe is your swimming spot?
Steps you can take to protect against recreational water illnesses

Nothing beckons like a cool dip in a pool, lake or the ocean on a hot summer day. But before you dive in, you should know about recreational water illnesses (RWI) and what you can do to protect yourself and your family.

Since the late 1970s, there has been a steady increase in the incidence of RWIs. In 2004, approximately 30,000 people were stricken with some type of RWI according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There are several hypotheses about the growth of RWIs including an increase in the number of public and private swimming pools and water parks. There’s no doubt that swimming is one of the nation’s most popular forms of recreation and exercise, with Americans making an estimated 360 million visits to pools, lakes and oceans each year.

An invisible threat

Beyond the better known conditions like swimmer’s ear, an infection caused by the water-borne bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa which can also cause a skin rash, there are a number of gastrointestinal diseases to guard against.

Cryptosporidium, also known as crypto, is a protozoan pathogen that can cause diarrheal illness. Because the organism is protected by an outer shell, it can survive in water for long periods and is often resistant to disinfection by chlorine. It is the most common cause of water-borne illness in the U.S. The disease is spread by water contaminated by the feces of infected humans or animals. In pools, the source is often an infected person, but in lakes, rivers and bays sewage is a common culprit.

You can contract the disease by swallowing contaminated water or putting something in your mouth that has been in contact with the contaminated water, for example a child putting a water toy in his mouth or someone rinsing a piece of fruit with lake water. Other pathogens and diseases that can be spread by swallowing water that’s been contaminated by even small amounts of fecal material include:

• E coli
• Giardia
• shigellosis
• viral meningitis
• hepatitis A

The best form of prevention for all these diseases is to avoid swallowing water. In addition, if you or a member of your family is ill, do not swim. You could unintentionally spread the diseases.

Germs can’t live in salt water and other ocean myths

Most people assume there is less risk of RWIs in the ocean because salt water kills bacteria. But epidemiologists and environmental researchers say that is not the case. Because of exposure to fertilizers and other nutrients through runoff, the conditions in a growing number of coastal waters are now favorable for the growth of bacteria.

Viruses are also able to survive in both salt water and chlorinated water. One study discovered that even after sewage treatment 40 percent of the water sampled contained live viruses. In another alarming example, a large scale study in Santa Monica found that urban runoff contaminated the bay waters resulting in a 57 percent greater incidence of fever for people who swam near storm drain outlets.

Sick oceans, sick swimmers

Toxic blooms of algae or phytoplankton present another threat. More than 60,000 cases of human infection tied to toxic algae blooms occur in the U.S. each year:

Red tide has been connected to respiratory illnesses. A blue-green algae called Microcystis aeruginosa has been found to cause liver damage and may promote the growth of tumors. Pfiesteria has been tied to skin and neurological problems.

Once again, pollution boosts the risk. Nutrients in runoff and sewage feed these organisms, allowing them to flourish. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, exposure to these toxic blooms are linked to a wide range of illnesses including respiratory problems, eye irritation and even neurotoxic poisoning that can cause temporary memory loss, dizziness, aches, vomiting and abdominal pain.

“As with many diseases, the strongest defense is knowledge,” notes PinnacleCare’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Miles J. Varn. The best advice for protecting yourself and your family from these water-borne illnesses is to check with local authorities to find out the condition of beach waters before you swim and, as with swimming in pools and lakes, to avoid swallowing water.