Posted: August 16th, 2011 - 5:07pm
Source: Health in Wales

A multi-agency group led by the Cryptosporidium Reference Unit, based within Public Health Wales, has developed new guidance on the investigation of cases of Cryptosporidium linked to swimming pools.
Swimming is an enjoyable activity with many health benefits, but care needs to be taken to prevent adverse health events. These include water-borne illness such as diarrhoea caused by Cryptosporidium.
Cryptosporidium is an unpleasant infection that causes diarrhoea and vomiting and can be life-threatening for people with severely weakened immune systems.
A number of outbreaks of the infection have been linked to swimming pools and most have occurred in the late summer and autumn.
Although chlorine needs to be kept at recommended levels to maintain a healthy pool, Cryptosporidium can survive the normal levels used. Contamination of the water by the faeces of someone who has the infection can lead to infection in others.
Working with the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group, Institute of Sport and Recreational Management and local authorities in Wales, Public Health Wales and the Health Protection Agency have issued new guidance on the prevention and investigation of cases of cryptosporidiosis linked to swimming pools.
Dr Rachel Chalmers, Head of the UK Cryptosporidium Reference Unit, said: “The guidance focuses on swimming pools, which have been the most common setting for outbreaks of waterborne intestinal infections in England and Wales since 2001.
“The guidance outlines the reasons why Cryptosporidium is often linked to swimming pools and can evade the normal pool water treatment measures. It also explains how links between cases and pools should be investigated and the emergency measures that can be used to protect public health in an outbreak. It also explains how outbreaks can be prevented, by good pool design, construction and management.
“The public are reminded that they should never swim in a pool while they have diarrhoea or for 48 hours after a bout of diarrhoea has ceased. Anyone diagnosed with cryptosporidiosis should not swim for 14 days after their symptoms have ceased, because this parasite can persist after the patient has recovered.”
The top four messages to swimmers are:
Never swim while you have diarrhoea
Chlorine does not kill all germs instantly
Shower before swimming - clean bodies mean a cleaner pool
Keep pool water out of your mouth
The public are reminded that outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis are relatively rare – the guidance identifies 63 outbreaks in the whole of England and Wales in a 17-year period.
Swimming therefore remains a safe and enjoyable form of exercise and recreation.
The guidance can be accessed from the Public Health Wales website at: http://www.publichealthwales.org/cryptopoolguidance/
More information on Cryptosporidium is available at: http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/888/page/44044
More information on the Cryptosporidum Reference Unit is available at: http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sites3/page.cfm?orgId=457&pid=25284
More information is also available from the HPA website at: http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/Cryptosporidium/