Saturday, July 31, 2004
Science Editor - Thomas Dolby
How many times have you had diarrhea and said to yourself, "I think I'll go for a swim"? If you've never said this, or even thought it, you may be in the minority.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more Americans — perhaps a thousand or more each year — are getting sick from public swimming pools.
That's not so many when you consider the millions of people who go swimming. However, reported pool-related outbreaks — mainly bouts of diarrhea — rose from two in 1986 to 21 in 2000, the most recent CDC statistics available. While the agency does not keep track of how many people were affected in those cases, it does know that most of the 16,800 confirmed illnesses in the 1990s linked to outbreaks in recreational waters occurred in swimming pools and spas.The CDC analyzed 22,131 inspections conducted two years ago and found that 54 percent uncovered one or more pool safety violations, everything from filtration to chlorine problems.
"That's a shocking number for us to see — those are clearly violations that mean, 'Everybody out,'" Beach said.
Government health officials are urging pool operators and swimmers to do more to prevent the spread of disease. They are pressing for more regular inspections and better staff training — and encouraging swimmers to stay out of the pool when they have diarrhea.
This summer, the Lawrence-Douglas County health department has been trying to help pool operators and swimmers learn how to keep their pools germ-free. The No. 1 message: Don't swim if you have diarrhea.
"We know last year they had been swimming when they had diarrhea. That is really, really not something to do," said W. Kay Kent, health department director.
Twenty-six children became sick from an E. coli outbreak at a popular water park in Marietta, Ga., six years ago. State health officials determined the pool had been contaminated by human feces around one of the pool's slides.Florida, the largest pool state in the Southeast with a million residential and commercial pools, faces many healthy swimming challenges. Hotel pools quickly fill up with tourists who aren't used to being around a swimming pool, said Wendy Parker, spokeswoman for the Florida Swimming Pool Association.
Most people were shocked when they learned they were swimming in others feces.
Others were less concerned. "Listen," said Tom Winans, "when I get....that not-so-fresh feeling, I know I'm sore and nasty down there. It feels good to cool off with a swim. What's the big deal? Isn't that what chlorine is for?"
The CDC has also alerted local public pools to better train their maintenance personnel, who usually lack the expertise to deal with this situation.
Better training of maintenance
personnel may help
In related news, new shark repellant tested. Yes, for those who like to swim wearing 'chum' suits, help has arrived.
