The 3 main diseases you can contract in the pool

It’s summer vacation for many people. And vacation means beach, pool, and ice cream galore. When it’s very hot, the pool is definitely the best place to cool off. And we’re not even talking about children who spend a lot of their time splashing around in the water. The problem is that, as temperatures rise, pools and water parks tend to become increasingly crowded. And the question of hygiene arises. Even though chlorine kills many viruses and bacteria, some germs can still hide in the water. HuffPost asked some experts what diseases can be contracted in the pool. Overview.

The water is contaminated with diarrhea

Millions of germs can get into the water when someone with diarrhea has a pool accident. And even if they don’t have one, small particles of fecal matter can still come off the body while swimming. So you won’t necessarily see them in the water. Swimmers can swallow even a small amount and get sick.” The most common germs you could contract includecryptosporidium, norovirus, giardia, shigella and E. coli”said Jasen Kunz, director of the clean water program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Waterborne Disease Prevention Branch. Depending on the pathogen, you may experience diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fever, or stomach pain. To note: Cryptosporidium is particularly resistant to chlorine.

Swimmer’s ear, kézaco

You can also get an infection called “swimmer’s ear”.
This infection is caused by bacteria when pool water stays in the external ear canal for a long time. It mainly affects children. Symptoms include pain, itching, rednessswelling and discharge from the ear.

Cough and irritation

Chemicals in the water can irritate your eyes and cause rashes or coughing. “Irritation can occur when chlorine in the pool turns into chemical irritants when combined with sweat, urine and dirt”said Dr. Clare Rock, associate professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. These irritating, called chloraminesmay cause red, itchy eyes, skin rashes, nasal irritation, coughing, and wheezing.

That’s why it’s best to shower before entering the water and never pee in the pool. In addition to chloramines, improper pH levels in a pool can cause skin and eye irritation.