Guide To Healthy SwimmingPart 1 of 3 – How Can Swimming Make You Sick?
Most recreational water illness (RWI) reported is diarrheal illness, which is spread by swallowing contaminated water. In addition, swimming in contaminated water can also cause infections in: • the eyes • the nose • the ears • open wounds, cuts and scrapes People in the pool share the water with everyone else in the pool. If someone with diarrhea contaminates the water, swallowing the water can make people sick. Recreational water can also be contaminated by fecal matter rinsed off of the bodies of swimmers. When people are ill with diarrhea their stool can contain millions of germs. Therefore, swimming when ill with diarrhea can easily contaminate the water and, if the pool water is swallowed, can make you sick. How does water get contaminated? Pools can be contaminated by persons who swim while experiencing diarrhea and have a fecal accident. Swimming pools, waterparks, hot tubs, and spas can also be contaminated by germs that are rinsed off swimmer’s bodies including their rear end
