CDC finds public swimming pools rife with fecal

contamination
Swimmers, be warned. A government study of public pools found widespread fecal contamination
and the presence of other potentially dangerous parasites lurking amid the clear blue waters.

"Swimming is an excellent way to get the physical activity needed to stay healthy," said Michele
Hlavsa, chief of the Healthy Swimming Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC). "However, pool users should be aware of how to prevent infections while swimming.
Remember, chlorine and other disinfectants don't kill germs instantly," she said.
CDC researchers collected water samples from filters at 160 public pools, booth indoor and outdoor,
located in the metro-Atlanta area. They found "poop" in nearly 60 percent of the pools, with tests
revealing 58 percent of the water samples were positive for the bacteria Escherichia coli, or E. coli.
E. coli is a bacteria that lives in the guts of people and animals and as such, indicates fecal
contamination when it comes up in a test. The CDC pointed out, however, the pool samples did not
test positive for E. coli O157:H7, the toxin-producing strain of the bacteria that can cause diarrhea
and is sometimes the culprit behind foodborne disease outbreaks.
Dr. Susan Rehm, medical director at the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases and vice chair
of dept of infectious diseases at Cleveland Clinic, said that people likely won't get sick from the mere
presence of E. coli that doesn't produce toxins. Many have probably already ingested some E. coli
unknowingly, she pointed out.
"E. coli is in drinking water (in trace amounts)," she said to CBSNews.com.
However, she said the presence of fecal contamination suggests more dangerous bacteria and
parasites may be present too.
The high percentage of E. coli contamination suggests some swimmers may be having a "fecal
incident" in the water, the CDC said, or that some people simply aren't showering themselves
thoroughly enough before they enter the pool.
E. coli was not the only microbe found via the tests. The CDC also found Cryptosporidium and
Giardia, two parasites that are spread through feces and cause diarrhea, in less than 2 percent of

samples. A mouthful of Cryptosporidium, known as "Crypto," is sufficient enough to cause an

infection, which may lead to stomach cramps, dehydration, nausea, vomiting, fever and weight loss.
Symptoms can come and go over the course of month, but people with weakened immune systems
may develop fatal illness, according to the CDC.
Giardia can cause symptoms for one to two weeks, including diarrhea, gas, stomach or adominal
cramps, "greasy stools" and dehydration, according to the health agency.
The researchers note their tests did not determine whether these germs were "alive," or able to
cause infections.
Also present in some pool samples was the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which can cause skin
rashes -- sometimes called "hot tub rash" -- and ear infections. The bacteria was detected in 59
percent of samples tested. Pseudomonas could be introduced by swimmers, but may also be
indicative of natural contamination.
The CDC's study did not look at private pools, water parks or other recreational water areas,
however, the agency said it's unlikely that hygiene practices differ between those included in the
study and those who swim elsewhere. In other words, pools outside the Atlanta area may be poopy
too.
The study was part of the CDC's Recreational Water Illness and Injury Prevention Week, which will
occur from May 20 to 26, to raise awareness for healthy swimming and ways sanitation fee to
prevent so-called recreational water illnesses (RWIs). It was published May 16 in Morbidity and
Mortality Weekly Report, the CDC's journal.
Other RWIs include, Legionella, Swimmer's Ear and wound infections, according to the CDC.
To reduce risks, the CDC recommends that all swimmers shower with soap before you start
swimming and avoid the pool entirely when you have diarrhea.
"You really should stay out of the water for two weeks after" diarrhea, according to Rehm, because
microscopic amounts of bacteria may still be present even after you feel better. She was not involved
in the new research.
Take a bathroom break every 60 minutes -young children should especially, the CDC said -- and take
a rinse shower before you get back into the water. Be sure to also wash your hands with soap and
water after using the toilet or after changing baby diapers.
Pool owners should use pool test strips to make sure their chlorine and pH levels are maximized for
germ-killing power. Proper chlorine should be 1 to 3 milligrams per liter, and pH should be between
7.2 and 7.8, the CDC said.
Said Hlavsa, "It's important for swimmers to protect themselves by not swallowing the water they
swim in and to protect others by keeping feces and germs out of the pool by taking a pre-swim
shower and not swimming when ill with diarrhea."
The CDC has more information on preventing illnesses at swimming pools.
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