Record Number of Pool-Related Diseases in U.S.

http://www.healthsentinel.com/news.p...st_item&id=345

Paul Simao, "Record Number of Pool-Related Diseases in U.S.", Reuters,
October 21, 2004,
Link: http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.j...hNews&storyID=

The number of Americans who got sick from swimming or bathing in
tainted pools, spas and other facilities jumped 21 percent to a record
high during 2001 and 2002, the government said on Thursday.

Poor pool and spa maintenance, watershed contamination and the
tendency of some people to swim while sick were among the factors that
led to the rise in illnesses such as diarrhea and skin infections, the
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Diarrhea can cause severe dehydration and is especially dangerous to
pregnant women, young children and those with weak immune systems.

"When we look at these outbreaks we see a wide spectrum -- from those
who don't feel particularly ill at all to those who are hospitalized,"
said Michael Beach, a CDC epidemiologist.

A total of 2,536 swimmers and recreational bathers in 23 states
contracted recreational-linked waterborne diseases between January
2001 and December 2002. Sixty-one people were hospitalized and eight
died.

The 65 outbreaks during the period was the highest number recorded
since the government began tracking the problem in 1978.

In comparison, 2,093 people contracted similar illnesses during 59
recreational water-related outbreaks in 1999-2000.

About half of the more recent diarrhea outbreaks among bathers were
caused by Cryptosporidium, a microscopic chlorine-resistant parasite.
Pools frequently become contaminated through fecal matter from sick
adults and kids.

Beach said people should refrain from swimming until two weeks after
the end of a bout of diarrhea.

He added that outbreaks could be limited by improved public awareness
of diarrhea and by changing swimming pool policies to require bathroom
breaks for children and separate water filtration systems for "kiddie"
pools.

Swimming is the second most popular exercise in the United States.
Americans make between 360 million to 400 million visits to swimming
pools each year, especially during the summer months.

A separate CDC study released on Thursday showed that fewer Americans
got sick from drinking water in 2001-2002 than did so in the previous
two-year period.

The CDC said outbreaks of illnesses linked to drinking water had
decreased by 20.5 percent.