Diarrhea, a common intestinal illness, is a potential hazard of swimming in pools and lakes. Germs that cause diarrhea can live from minutes to days in pools, even if the pool is well-maintained, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Taking a few common sense steps before you swim can help you avoid contracting diarrhea or spreading an infectious illness to other swimmers.
Identification
Diarrhea occurs when the stools are loose and runny, rather than solid and well-formed. A variety of viruses, parasites and bacterium cause diarrhea. Common causes of swimmer's diarrhea include infection with the norovirus, cryptosporidium or giardia parasites, or exposure to E. coli or shigella bacteria. Swallowing or touching contaminated water transfers the virus, parasite or bacterium to your body, where it causes diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms. The resulting illness can be particularly severe in young children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems.
Effects of Chlorine
Although chlorine kills many types of germs, it isn't completely effective in preventing disease transmission. Small unnoticeable pieces of fecal material on your body are washed from your skin when you enter a pool or lake. Even larger amounts of fecal material are released into the water if you have an accident while in the water. If the fecal material contains bacteria, viruses or illnesses, these pathogens can infect other people before reaching the pool's filtration system. Infections may also spread because it takes some time before the chlorine begins to kill the pathogens. Outbreaks of diarrheal illnesses can be widespread if one filtration system serves more than one pool or water play area.
Considerations
Diarrhea is also a concern if you swim in lakes. Because there is no mechanism to clean water in lakes, fecal contamination from both humans and animals can result in diarrhea-causing illnesses. Lakes with large populations of Canada geese are particularly susceptible to exposure to the E. coli parasite. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that the overall prevalence for E. coli in Canada geese ranged from 2 percent during the coldest time of the year to 94 percent during the warmest months of the year.
Prevention
Avoiding swallowing water can help you reduce your risk of developing diarrhea due to exposure to contaminated water. Cloudy or discolored pools may be poorly maintained and more likely to contain pathogens. If pool water isn't clear, don't swim in it. If you prefer to swim in a lake, avoid lakes with a high geese population and don't swim if posted signs advise that E. coli levels in the water are high. Showering thoroughly before swimming and washing your hands after a bowel movement can help prevent transmission of viruses, bacteria or parasites to other swimmers. If you've been infected by an infectious disease, don't swim until two weeks after the diarrhea stops. Even though you are no longer experiencing diarrhea, you may still be shedding pathogens in your feces.
