Swimming in a pool, having a picnic, enjoying a playground or water park – these activities make summertime special. But could hidden microbes at your favorite spots make you and your family sick? Warm-weather play areas can breed harmful bacteria and viruses, experts say. To stay germ-free, learn 10 most popular bacterial hot spots, and how to prepare so you can have a healthy summer...
Summer is a terrific season for family pleasures, from picnics in the park to sunny days at the beach.
What’s not fun: getting sick to your stomach due to bacteria and viruses. During hot weather, these invisible invaders are out in full force.
Germs love to thrive in common recreational areas where adults and children gather. These spots can easily become contaminated with animal or human fecal matter and cleaning crews can’t always keep up.
Plus, some people are more susceptible to infection than others, says Peter Iwen, Ph.D., a professor of pathology and microbiology and infectious-disease researcher at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.
So take special care if you’re with children, the elderly, those with compromised immune systems (such as cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy), or people who have diseases like AIDS, cystic fibrosis, diabetes or COPD.
But everyone should use common sense to protect themselves from pathogens, he says. Here are 10 places you’re likely to encounter germs this summer – and ways to have fun without getting sick.
1. Have a healthy summer… while picnicking
Picnic tables are a common breeding ground for pathogens because you can’t tell how well or frequently – if at all – they’ve been cleaned. Spilled food can grow harmful bacteria, especially if someone placed uncooked chicken, turkey or hamburger on the table before grilling, Iwen says.
You also don’t know what’s been crawling on them. For example, if local creatures, such as birds, lizards or squirrels, sit on a table, it raises your risk of contracting zoonotic illnesses (diseases transmitted from animals to human), such as the parasite giardia or salmonella.
Salmonella is “always possible where animal fecal material is present,” Iwen says.
Plus, porous wood tables are difficult to disinfect, because germs can hide in nooks and crannies.
Stay germ-free: Choose a dry, clean-looking table that’s been in the sun because exposure to ultraviolet light can destroy germs.
“Just as we get sunburned, so do microbes,” says Michael G. Schmidt, Ph.D., professor and vice chairman of microbiology and immunology at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. “If they get sunburned, they die.”
Other safety tips:
Don’t rest food or utensils on the table.
Spread a clean tablecloth, Iwen says.
“Eat off paper or plastic plates – and use hand sanitizers,” Schmidt adds.
2. Have a healthy summer… at a public swimming pool
Before you dive into that inviting clear water, consider everyone who’s been in the pool before you and their bad habits.
Though actual numbers may be higher, about 17% of American adults admit to urinating in a public pool, according to a 2009 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). One percent say they’ve gone swimming while suffering from diarrhea – and that doesn’t even count kids.
Each year, 15-20 outbreaks of stomach illnesses are blamed on harmful bacteria and viruses in public pools, the CDC reports. In the Atlanta area alone, 1 out of 12 public pools were infected with diarrhea-causing parasites, such as cryptosporidium and giardia, according to a 2008 CDC study published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Unfortunately, chlorine, which is added to most pools to kill germs, isn’t effective against cryptosporidium, according to the CDC.
It’s difficult to tell if a pool’s chlorine concentration is high enough to kill other dangerous microbes, Schmidt says.
Also, “chlorine takes time to work,” he says. “So if the water is recently contaminated, you could still be at risk.”
Stay germ-free: Don’t swim in a pool that looks dirty or cloudy or you suspect isn’t clean.
Even if it looks clean, assume it’s not and take precautions, Schmidt warns:
Keep your mouth closed and don’t swallow any water.
Don’t make “fountains” of water with your mouth.
After swimming, shower with soap or at least wash your hands, especially before eating.
3. Have a healthy summer… at a water park
Water-based amusement parks may host even more germs than pools, especially when diaper-wearing infants attend, says Schmidt.
When parks aren’t properly maintained by chlorinating and filtering water, it’s easy for pathogens such as cryptosporidium to be transmitted by infected people, says Iwen.
In June 2011, six young children were hospitalized for severe gastrointestinal illness after visiting an Alabama “splash park,” according to the Alabama Department of Public Health. And in 1998, one child died after an E. coli outbreak traced to a water park in Georgia.
Stay germ-free: As with swimming pools, avoid swallowing water and wash hands before handling food or touching your face.
Although it’s no guarantee, check that the water appears clean and the park is well maintained.
One clue: “You should be able to smell chlorine,” Schmidt says.
4. Have a healthy summer… around restaurant waterfalls, outdoor fountains or water displays
These set a relaxing ambience, especially on a hot summer day. But their mist of fine water can transmit microbes through the air, says Schmidt.
Decorative fountains [often] use recycled water, which may contain Legionella bacteria, he warns.
Some kinds of Legionella cause a severe, potentially fatal form of pneumonia known as Legionnaires’ disease. In 2011, it sickened nearly 200 guests at the Playboy mansion in Los Angeles; another outbreak occurred when bacteria got into showers at a Las Vegas hotel.
But it can also cause Pontiac fever, a milder illness that resembles the flu, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Stay germ-free: Your risk of becoming seriously ill from Legionnaires’ disease is low if you’re healthy, says Schmidt. But if your immune system is compromised or you’re prone to respiratory illnesses, ask for a seat far away from restaurant fountains or any other source of water mist.
5. Have a healthy summer… in the ocean
Oceans are huge, but they still need time to dissipate bacteria- and chemical-laced water that pours in from storm drains, says Schmidt. Those drains, which empty run-off water from streets and sewers, are sometimes near popular beaches, lakes and other natural swim spots.
Swimming close to a storm drain can cause stomach flu or ear, eye, nose and throat infections, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Stay germ-free: Don’t swim near a storm drain – they look like large pipes leading into the water – especially 24 hours after a rainstorm, when there’s more run-off. Also stay out of water that’s cloudy or smells bad.
Your local newspaper may provide water cleanliness ratings for nearby beaches. And the EPA provides nationwide reports on beach pollution advisories or closures.
6. Have a healthy summer… at the beach
Digging holes in sand, making sandcastles or even burying yourself may increase the risk of gastrointestinal illnesses, according to a 2009 study by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the EPA.
Although the exact source is unclear, researchers suspect it’s fecal contamination.
“A grain of sand has surface area microbes love to attach to,” Schmidt explains.
You’re more likely to get infected if you get sand in an open sore, such as a blister, he says. Swimming in saltwater or digging in rough sand also increase the chance that a wound will open or a bandage will fall off.
Stay germ-free: On a hot day, sun usually heats the beach surface enough to sterilize it, so you should be safe lying on sand, Schmidt adds.
“How deep that [sanitization] goes is uncertain,” Schmidt says. “If [sand] feels warm, it’s probably safe.”
Always wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer after playing in sand, he advises.
7. Have a healthy summer… at streams and rivers
After a long, hot hike, you reach a cool stream or river, and it’s tempting to take a drink.
Don’t, Iwen advises. “Recreational water [isn’t] drinking water or sterile, and there’s always a risk of [germ] exposure through ingestion,” he says.
Many parasites, including giardia, can be found in open water, such as clear lakes or moving creeks or rivers.
As with contaminated food, your risk of illness depends on the strength of your immune system and genetic predisposition, Iwen says.
“Some people will get sick; others don’t.”
Stay germ-free: Pack plenty of bottled water, so you won’t get dehydrated, Iwen recommends. Also, filtering or boiling river water for 5-10 minutes can kill many germs.
If you’ve had your hands in the lake or river, wash them with clean water or sanitizer before eating.
8. Have a healthy summer… at public drinking fountains
Municipal water supplies are generally safe – unless other people’s mouths have been on the fountain, says Iwen. That’s more likely to happen if the water stream isn’t high.
Stay germ-free: Let the water run about 15-30 seconds to flush out microbes and never put your lips on the fountain, says Schmidt.
When filling a water bottle, don’t allow it to touch the lip of the fountain because that can also transfer bacteria or viruses.
9. Have a healthy summer… on the playground
Tots’ tiny hands grasping, and mouths licking and biting can quickly spread organisms that trigger gastrointestinal distress – think E. coli, norovirus and Shigella – onto playground equipment.
“These are high-touch areas with kids who may not have the best hygiene,” Iwen says. You should be especially careful where children’s mouths might have been, he warns.
“Playground equipment that can be touched [and] also sucked on” would have the highest risk to pathogen exposure,” he warns.
Also be wary of stainless-steel playground equipment, which may look clean even if it’s not, says Schmidt.
Stay germ-free: Surfaces that have been exposed to bright sunlight are probably safest, he says.
After touching playground equipment, wash your hands (and the kids’ hands) and don’t touch eyes, mouth or nose before you do.
An antibacterial soap isn’t necessary, but be sure to work up a lather.
“The abrasiveness of rubbing your hands together” helps shed germs, Schmidt says.
10. Have a healthy summer… in your home
Air conditioners keep you comfortable in the summer, but not if they develop mold or bacteria. Then you’ll end up breathing germs in with the cool air, especially problematic for people with allergies, Iwen says.
Stay germ-free: Flush your air conditioner at the beginning of every summer. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions or “use one part bleach to nine parts water to flush the drain,” Schmidt says.
Clean the evaporation tray in a window unit frequently. If you notice an unpleasant odor, clean or change the filter.
Linda Melone, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), writes frequently about fitness and health for Lifescript.
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