Recreational Water Illnesses

When swimming, whether it be recreationally or for other reasons, it is important to be weary of certain recreational water illnesses before jumping into the pool. After all, recreational water illnesses may a ect you or you may spread those illnesses to others. This article will explore certain recreational water illnesses, signs you might have them, and what you can do to prevent contracting and spreading these diseases.

Cryptosporidiosis (Crypto)

Being one of the most common causes of water recreation diarrhea illness in the United States, it is important to be wary of whether you may have this disease or how to prevent yourself from contracting this disease. This germ is heavily resistant to chlorine disinfection, sometimes taking up to 10 days to die o in a pool. Thus, swallowing contaminated water is (most of the time) how people contract this disease.

CDC/Alexander J. da Silva, PhD/Melanie Moser (PHIL #3386), 2002, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Symptoms of the disease begin on average 7 days after contracting the disease. Symptoms include watery diarrhea, but some don’t experience any symptoms at all. Symptoms usually last about 1 to 2 weeks.

To limit the spread of this disease, refrain from entering a pool if you have diarrhea. In order to prevent yourself from contracting this disease, practice good hygiene, including washing your hands after using the toilet or eating and preparing foods. If you have contracted this disease, often times the disease doesn’t require treatment if you have a healthy immune system.

Swimmer’s Ear (Otitis Externa)

Swimmer’s ear, also known as acute otitis externa, is a bacterial infection that occurs when water stays in one’s outer ear canal for a long period of time. This wears down protective wax in the ear and provides a moist environment for bacteria to reproduce and multiply. It can’t be transferred from person to person.

Signs and symptoms of this disease include itchiness inside the ear, redness and swelling in the ear, pain when the outer ear is tugged, and drainage from the ear.

Measures to prevent the contraction of this disease include keeping your ears moist through measures such as wearing swimming caps, or drying your ears after swimming. This can be done through tilting one’s head back and forth so that each ear faces down, allowign water to drain, while pulling your earlobes in di erent directions when the ear faces down to facilitate water drainage.

If you have already contracted this disease, it is important to contact your healthcare provider. Swimmer’s ear can be treated with antibiotic ear drops.

Legionella

Legionella is a bacteria that, most commonly, causes two types of respiratory diseases: Legionnaire’s Disease, which is a type of severe pneumonia, and Pontiac Fever, which is a mild respiratory disease.

It usually takes 2 - 14 days for Legionella to develop Legionnaire’s disease symptoms. Symptoms include coughing, fever, headaches, muscle aches, shortness of breath, and other symptoms such as confusion, nausea, and diarrhea. Often times, healthy people who contract Legionella don’t get sick, but certain risk factors put one more at risk, inlcuding being a current or former smoker, being over the age of 50, and people with health conditions/issues such as cancer or a weak immune system.

Legionella occurs naturally in freshwater environments, but can also pose a threat when it contaminates indoor water environments. Proper pool maintenance can help reduce the prevalence of this bacteria. You must also be wary when breathing in mist or swallowing water coming from sources of water that could be contaminated with Legionella.

 CDC/James Gathany, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

References

CDC/James Gathany, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons CDC. “About Cryptosporidiosis.” Cryptosporidium (“Crypto”), 2024, www.cdc.gov/cryptosporidium/about/index.html?

CDC_AAref_Val=www.cdc.gov/parasites/crypto/.---. “About Legionnaires Disease and Pontiac Fever.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 29 Jan. 2024, www.cdc.gov/legionella/about/index.html.---. “How Legionella Spreads.” Legionella (Legionnaires’ Disease and Pontiac Fever), 2024, www.cdc.gov/legionella/causes/index.html#cdc_causes_risk-risk-factors.---. “Preventing Swimmer’s Ear.” Healthy Swimming, 8 May 2024, www.cdc.gov/healthy swimming/prevention/preventing-swimmers-ear.html? CDC_AAref_Val=www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/swimmers/rwi/ear-infections.html. Washington State Department of Health. “Recreational Water Illnesses.”

Washington State Department of Health, doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/illness-and-disease-z/recreational-water illnesses.