Swimming Pools Are Even More Disgusting Than You Thought

Unsplash/Carlos Dominguez

You might want to think twice before you take a dip at your next pool party this summer. New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that a nasty little poop-borne parasite known as “Crypto” is finding its way into more and more swimming pools and making people horribly sick.

Cryptosporidium (Crypto’s full name) is a microscopic parasite that causes cryptosporidiosis, a diarrheal disease. When an infected person jumps in the swimming pool, others become susceptible to contracting it by accidentally swallowing water (yuck). What’s worse, though, is Crypto parasites can’t be killed easily by chlorine and can survive up to 10 days in what’s considered properly treated water. It only takes one gulp of contaminated water to end up with watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea and/or vomiting for up to three weeks no matter how healthy you might be otherwise.

Pexels

According to the CDC, there were twice as many outbreaks in 2016 as in 2014. And while 32 outbreaks last year sounds like a low number, just under 2,000 people have been impacted by a simple outbreak in the past (sorry, Ohio). After an outbreak, a pool requires closing to treat the water with extra high levels of chlorine not suitable for skin, thus ruining the fun for everyone.

The best way to avoid Crypto altogether is relatively simple: those who are experiencing, well, diarrhea, shouldn’t swim in the pool while their symptoms are still active, or two weeks thereafter if they have cryptosporidiosis specifically. That way, the contaminant never reaches the water in the first place. Boom, problem solved.