According to the CDC, there's poop in public pools. Swimmers might want to keep their mouth closed while taking a dip.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found genetic material from E. Coli in 58 percent of the public pools that they tested in the summer of 2012, LiveScience reports.
This finding shows that swimmers often bring fecal matter into pools and the germs could spread to others.
These bacteria are brought into pools when the swimmer doesn't shower before getting into the water. It also comes from direct incident of defecation in pools. The average person has 0.14 grams of fecal material on their "perianal surface." Unless they shower beforehand, these germs are brought into public pools.
The good news is that there were no samples of E. coli O157:H7, which is toxic and can cause illness. In less than 2 percent of samples, there were traces of two parasites, Cryptosporidium and Giardia, which is spread through feces and can cause diarrhea.
That wasn't all that they found. The CDC also found genetic material from bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 59 percent of pools. These bacteria can cause skin rashes and ear infections. Researchers say this type of bacteria may have come from the natural environment but it also could have come from swimmers.
The study was done in the Atlanta area and included 161 pools, so researchers noted that these finding might not apply to other pools. However they don't think there's a reason that swimmer hygiene would be different in other parts of the country. They found the bacteria by collecting samples from the pools' filters.
"Chlorine and other disinfectants don't kill germs instantly," said Michele Hlavsa, chief of CDC's Healthy Swimming Program. It's important that swimmers shower before getting in a pool, not swallow the water they swim in, and avoid swimming when they have diarrhea, she said.
In addition to this, the CDC recommends that parents with young children should ensure that their children take bathroom breaks and diapers should be checked every 30 to 60 minutes. Diapers should not be changed near the poolside.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
