Do People Really Get Sick From Swimming?

There are a variety of illnesses you can get from swimming in contaminated water. The most common reported symptom of water related illness is diarrhea. Some of the ways infectious organisms can enter your body:

• Eye, ear, nose, and throat – water contacts mucous membranes

• Gastrointestinal – swallowing or hand/mouth

• Skin – swimmer’s itch (freshwater only)

• Internal – System- pass through wound, or ingestion

• Central nervous system (rare) – through nose

• Shigella causes severe gastrointestinal illness. It has been site the cause of outbreaks in several freshwater areas related to improperly treated sewage. It takes very few organisms to create an infective dose. Worldwide Shigella kills 600,000 annually.

• E.coli causes severe diarrhea and can damage kidneys and liver. Certain strains such as O157H7 are particularly virulent. It only takes a few organisms to create an infective dose.

• The Department of Health Homepage
• Centers For Disease ControlAnd Healthy Swimming