Planning to go for a swim? Doctors warn about infections you might catch in a public swimming pool - Times of India

The June sun is upon us and it is the best time to hit the refreshing swimming pools to beat the scorching heat. It is super refreshing and fun, whether you go for swimming lessons, water sports or a pool party. But before you get your swimming bag ready, have you ever wondered about the diseases you can catch from a public pool?
RWI stands for Recreational Water Illness. These are caused by bacteria and chemicals found in the public pool water you swim in. In fact, these germs can spread through swallowing or touching the water, and even breathing in the vapors.
One of the best ways to avoid contracting diseases in public pools is educating yourself about it. Doctors explain these common, pool-related illnesses so that you can get the right facts and keep yourself safe.
Dr. Ravi Shekhar Jha, Director and Unit Head Pulmonology at Fortis Escorts Hospital, Faridabad, explains the most common infection people can get from the swimming pool. "The most common infection that we get from swimming pools is diarrhoea. It has been shown that on an average, people have around 0.14 grams of poop in their body at any given time. When a person infected with diarrhoea goes into the pool, and the infected poop washes into the pool, anyone swallowing the infected poop can become infected."

Other pool diseases

"Besides diarrhoea, swimming can also cause skin infection, ear infection, respiratory tract infection, and eye infection. These are the parts of the body which are exposed to the atmosphere directly and are mostly caused by the organisms that naturally live in water. The common organisms causing swimming pool infection are cryptosporidium, Legionella, Pseudomonas, Noroviris, Shigella, E. Coli, and Giardia," Dr. Jha adds.

Swimmer's ear is caused when water gets trapped in the passageway or ear canal - thereby allowing bacteria and some kinds of fungi to grow in the moist places. These bacterial infections, while they can go away on their own, can cause bad swelling, pain and terrible itching. Some people can also develop respiratory issues due to ingestion of the bacterium Legionella from swimming pool water.

When asked if chlorine can cause infections, he explained that most of the pools use chemicals to disinfect the water. They mostly use chlorine or bromine. If the chemical level (Chlorine or Bromine) is not at optimum level, under dosing can lead to contaminated water and overdosing can lead to respiratory tract irritation and skin rashes. Chlorine is a disinfectant and does not cause infection.

How to prevent these infections

The list of diseases and complicated germs names might freak you out. But before you swear to never step into a pool again, Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Sr. Consultant-Internal Medicine, Paras Hospitals, Gurugram has some ways to help you prevent them in advance. "Wear a swim hat and goggles in the pool to protect hair and eyes from chlorine exposure. Getting wet before swimming and rinsing off afterwards with soap and shampoo properly will go a long way to protect your skin and hairs. Always apply a barrier cream or moisturizer or coconut oil before entering the pool. Consuming extra vitamin C in your diet helps to neutralize chlorine, similarly Vitamin E & Vitamin D also help."

Despite these safety measures, if you feel infected after you've hit the pool, Dr. Kumar has shared some tips that can help to provide relief. "If you become infected after swimming in a public pool, you should see your doctor immediately. If you have severe rashes or skin irritation, take a bath with fresh water and contact your doctor. If you have an eye infection/irritation, immediately wash your eyes with fresh water and see an eye doctor. For a while, don't use the pool."
So is it safe to swim in a public pool or should one avoid it? Dr. Shuchin Bajaj, Founder Director, Ujala Cygnus Group of Hospitals shares that one should avoid swimming until and unless they don't know the cleanliness of the water in it. Apart from this, Dr. Bajaj cautions, "children, pregnant women, and people who have health problems or take medicines that lower their body's ability to fight germs and sickness—such as people whose immune systems are weakened because of cancer, an organ transplant, or HIV—are most at risk for swimming-related illnesses."
Common questions answered

1. Can you get a fungal infection from a swimming pool?
   Dermatophytosis, which is the most common fungal cutaneous infection, is a communicable disease mainly transmitted by human sources and swimming pools have high potential to transfer this infection.
2. What does a swimming pool rash look like?
   The itchy rash associated with swimmer's itch looks like reddish pimples or blisters. It may appear within minutes or days after swimming in infested water. Swimmer's itch usually affects only exposed skin which is not covered by swimsuits.
3. How often should you clean your pool?
   The pool must be maintained and taken care of regularly; if not, it may lead to various accidents, diseases, and infections.

Planning to go for a swim? Doctors warn about infections you might catch in a public swimming pool - Times of India