 May 20-26 is Recreational Water Illness and Injury Prevention Week.
This year's theme, "How We Swimmers Contaminate Pools," focuses on
swimmer hygiene and the need for swimmers to take an active role in
protecting themselves and preventing the spread of germs."While
swimming is a great source of exercise, if you are not careful, you
may end up sick," said Hasbrouck. "You can get sick from germs
floating in lakes, rivers and even swimming pools. Take the time
during Recreational Water Illness and Injury Prevention Week to
learn how to avoid illness and help prevent others from becoming
ill, before you jump in the water."
Every year, thousands of Americans get sick with recreational
water illnesses, or RWIs, which are caused by germs found in places
where we swim. Illnesses can be caused by germs like Crypto (short
for Cryptosporidium), Giardia, E. coli 0157:H7 and Shigella and are
spread by accidentally swallowing water that has been contaminated
with fecal matter. If someone with diarrhea contaminates the water,
swallowing the water can make you sick. Most germs in swimming pools
are killed by chlorine, but some germs, like Crypto, are resistant
to chlorine and can live in pools for days. That is why even the
best-maintained pools can spread illnesses.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a study
last week showing that 58 percent of water samples collected from
pool filters at public pools tested positive for E. coli, bacteria
normally found in human feces.
In the past two decades, there has been a substantial increase in
the number of RWI outbreaks associated with swimming, according to
the CDC. Crypto, which can stay alive for days even in
well-maintained pools, has become the leading cause of swimming
pool-related outbreaks of diarrheal illness. From 2004 to 2008,
reported Crypto cases increased more than 200 percent, from 3,411
cases in 2004 to 10,500 cases in 2008.
The best way to prevent RWIs is to
keep germs out of the water in the first place. Follow these six
steps to help protect yourself and others from illness:
-
Don't swim within
14 days of having diarrhea.
-
Don't swallow pool
water.
-
Practice good hygiene. Shower with soap
before swimming, and wash your hands after using the toilet or
changing diapers. Germs on your body end up in the water.
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-
Take your kids on
bathroom breaks or check diapers often. All children who are not
toilet-trained must wear swim diapers.
-
Change diapers in
a bathroom or a diaper-changing area, and not poolside.
-
Wash your children thoroughly
(especially the rear end) with soap and water before they go
swimming.
Swimming in lakes and rivers can also lead to illness. The most
frequent sources of disease-causing microorganisms are from sewage
overflows, polluted storm water runoff, sewage treatment plant
malfunctions, boating wastes and malfunctioning septic systems.
Pollution in beach water is often much higher during and immediately
after rainstorms because water draining into the beach may be
carrying sewage from overflowing sewage treatment systems. Rainwater
also flows to beaches after running off lawns, farms, streets,
construction sites and other urban areas, picking up animal waste,
fertilizer, pesticides, trash and many other pollutants.
-
Avoid swimming
after a heavy rain.
-
Look for storm
drains (pipes that drain polluted water from streets) along the
beach. Don't swim near them.
-
Look for trash and other signs of
pollution, such as oil slicks in the water. These kinds of
pollutants may indicate the presence of disease-causing
microorganisms.
To help prevent illnesses associated with swimming at Illinois
beaches, each licensed beach is inspected annually to determine that
required safety features are in place and that there are no sources
of possible pollution, such as sewage discharges. To check for beach
closures, advisories and test results, go to
http://app.idph.state.il.us/
envhealth/ilbeaches/public/.
For more information about prevention of recreational water
illness, visit
http://www.idph.state.il.us/
envhealth/swimmingpools.htm.
[Text from
Illinois
Department of Public Health file received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]
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