Monsoon bug alert: Is your swimming pool water making you sick?

Which water-borne diseases do we need to be worried about?

Over the past week, cholera has been reported from various parts of the country. It causes diarrhoea and vomitting, which can lead to dehydration and even death if untreated. It is caused by bacteria which spreads in water contaminated by faeces from an infected person in areas where sewer lines leak. Common sources of these bacteria are usually municipal water supplies, foods, and drinks sold by street vendors. Sometimes there are faecal accidents in the pool, when poop can come out of carriers, some of whom may have been asymptomatic at the time of swimming. This needs to be addressed by getting people out of the water, filtering and changing the water.

Many people ignore simple parasites like giardia, which thrive in drinking water and lie dormant in even chlorinated swimming pools. That’s why your pool needs to be filtered frequently. Giardia can be easily treated but left untreated, it can cause malabsorption of food because it infects that part of your gut responsible for this function. E-Coli is another bacteria, which can leach into rivers, lakes, pools and groundwater.

Some cases of brain-eating amoeba have been reported among swimmers in Kerala. What does this do?

This micro-organism is called Naegleria Fowleri, which has been known to cause amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rare but often fatal brain infection. Although these are ubiquitous, human infections remain rare, occurring in only one of several million encounters. Naegleria Fowleri causes keratitis much more commonly, with the cornea becoming inflamed. It enters the body through the nose when contaminated water is forcefully inhaled, such as during swimming or diving in warm freshwater lakes and rivers.

How can we prevent infection?

1) Use high-quality goggles and swimming caps.
2) Shower before and after a swim.
3) Make sure the swimming pool is chlorinated and filtered.
4) Watch out for pool floor sediments and scum, use a pool vacuum regularly to clean the floor of the swimming pool.

Why should we be vigilant around children?

Children need to be protected more than adults. That’s because their nasal and cranial (brain) cavities are separated by a thin partition known as the cribriform plate. This bone is softer and more easily penetrated in children. Once inside, germs can travel to the brain and out of there to other organs.