What can you get infected in the swimming pool? Mycoses, vaginitis or cystitis - these are just some of the diseases. According to the research of scientists, a large pool contains about … 75 liters of urine. But he is not the most dangerous. Check what you can get infected in the swimming pool.

When we go to the swimming pool, we do not always realize what surprises may be waiting for us there. And it's really easy to get an infection in the swimming pool.

Why are we catching infections in the pool

The water in the pool is purified and disinfected, but not perfectly clean as dozens of people keep entering. They leave behind not only exfoliated epidermis, sweat or cosmetics, but also saliva and other secretions, and with them germs. The more people, the more difficult it is to maintain good water quality. That is why various microorganisms swim with us, e.g. fecal bacteria (mainly Escherichia coli, but also e.g. rotaviruses), trichomes or fungi. There are also plenty of them on the edge of the pool, in the changing rooms, in the shower. In the pool water, you can also come across yeasts, lamellae causing diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, and even legionella, which causes dry cough and breathing disorders.

What else is swimming in the pool?

According to the research of Canadian scientists from the University of Alberta¹, in a large pool (with a capacity of over 800,000 liters) there is an average of approx. capacity 415 thousand liters). To calculate this, the researchers used an artificial sweetener (acesulfame). The sweetener passes through the digestive system and is still present in the final stage of excretion, which is urine. Scientists tested more than 250 water samples from 31 actively used swimming pools and hot tubs in two Canadian cities. The research was published in the "Environmental Science & Technology Letters" magazine.

However, urine itself is not so dangerous as it is sterile. However,nitrogen compounds present in the urine reacts with chlorine used to disinfect water, and this can be dangerous to your he alth . Contact with such water can cause eye irritation, conjunctivitis, respiratory problems, and asthma, which is an occupational disease of swimmers.

People who do not wash themselves before entering the pool pose the greatest threat.Unwashed people bring topools, a lot of pathogens.

What can you get infected in the swimming pool? Athlete's foot

Athlete's foot is a common ailment. It affects 15-30 percent. population. The infection with fungi of the dermatophyte type that affects the feet in some environments (e.g. athletes, soldiers) reaches 70%. Mushrooms like warm and humid places - sun-heated tiles around the pool, showers, changing rooms. Their settling on our feet is favored by abrasions of the epidermis, as well as reduced immunity.

Is it possible to go to the swimming pool with mycosis? No, because you can pass it on to other people. Until the disease is cured, the swimming pool should be abandoned.

How to minimize the risk?Do not go barefoot in the pool area, in the shower, in the changing room. Always wear flip flops. An even more certain way is to wear plastic shoes that you can swim in. They are mainly used for bathing in the sea with a rocky bottom, but they will also be useful in anti-fungal prophylaxis in the pool. After leaving the bath, rinse your feet under running water and dry them thoroughly with a towel. At home, you can use an antifungal cream or powder just in case.Symptoms.The first symptom of athlete's foot is redness, itching, cracking, and peeling of the epidermis between April and May, and then between March and April. IV with your finger. Don't wait for the fungus to attack all the gaps between your toes, soles or nails. Apply one of the over-the-counter antifungal preparations. If the symptoms of mycosis persist, consult a dermatologist who will prescribe an ointment or cream that destroys dermatophytes, and if necessary - also an oral preparation.

Internista Paweł Grzesiowski: Many people with mycosis go to the swimming pool

Source: x-news.pl/Dzień Dobry TVN

What can you get infected in the swimming pool? Intimate infections

Trichomoniasis or chlamydia can be caught not only during sex, but also in the swimming pool, because they like moisture. On the other hand, bacterial or yeast inflammation of the vagina and vulva after swimming in a swimming pool is often the result of an imbalance of the vaginal flora, and not of microbial invasion from the water. Chlorine irritates intimate places, and by killing various microorganisms, it also destroys lactic acid bacteria of the Lactobacillus genus, which are a barrier to bacteria and fungi.

The water in the pool must circulate, it is worth checking if it overflows from the overflow grates.

How to minimize the risk?Strengthen your natural protection by using vaginal or oral gynecological probiotics with lactobacilli to restore the physiologicalvaginal microflora. After leaving the water, wash yourself in the shower and change into a dry suit. Avoid sitting on the edge of the pool as there may be many more microbes there than in the water. Do not insert a tampon into the vagina before bathing as it will not protect you from infection. Use it only during your period. Removing a dry tampon can rub the lining of your vagina, which can cause infections.Symptoms.Itching, burning, vaginal discharge are symptoms of trichomoniasis, bacterial inflammation and vaginal and vulvar yeast infection (chlamydial infection is rarely symptomatic). Visit your gynecologist who will prescribe the appropriate oral or vaginal medications (or both) for you. While waiting for your appointment, take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal agents.

Worth knowing

The cleanliness of the pool toilets shows what the pool water is like. If there are dirty floors in the toilets, it means that some of the rest of the toilet floor is carried by people into the pool.

What can you get infected in the swimming pool? Cystitis

Cystitis is most often caused by the fecal bacterium Escherichia coli, less often by other microbes. The cause of infection, however, does not have to be bacteria and fungi in the water, but your own around the urethra. They attack when immunity lowers due to bathing in cold water.

Too much chloramines smell means the water can irritate the skin, especially in young children.

How to minimize the riskDo not wear a wet suit - it aggravates lower body cooling. Before changing to a dry one, wash your perineum with intimate gel. Empty the bladder after exiting the pool - urine will flush microbes out of the urethra. Quench your thirst with water with lemon, citrus juice, cranberries. They acidify the urine, and the acidic environment is not conducive to microorganisms. If you are prone to cystitis, take a cranberry dietary supplement. They prevent Escherichia coli from adhering to the mucosa of the urinary tract and rinse it out with urine.Symptoms.If you feel a burning sensation, pain when peeing, constant pressure on the bladder, do a siphon. Pour the sage, calendula or chamomile infusion into a bowl of hot water and sit in it for 15 minutes. Heat relaxes the urinary tract and causes tissue congestion, which stimulates the immune system. Then lie warm. Drink a lot, preferably water. If the symptoms of the disease do not improve within 24 hours, be sure to see a doctor so that he can prescribe furagin tablets or an antibiotic.

Epidemiologist: You can catch anything in the pool

Source: x-news.pl/Dzień Dobry TVN

Important

This should be in your first aid kit

The drugs taken on vacation should include those that will bring relief from infections that spread easily in summer.

  • Antifungal ointment, cream or powder that is applied to the feet. There are many such remedies available over the counter.
  • Vaginal suppositories or pessaries with anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties, also available over the counter.
  • Suppositories, pessaries or oral probiotics with lactobacilli.
  • Cranberry supplement and herbal remedy for bladder infections.

Source:

1. Sweetened Swimming Pools and Hot Tubs, http://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.estlett.7b00043

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Category:

Infectious diseases