Cryptosporidum and other infections – what is lurking in the swimming pool water?

Cooling off in the hotel swimming pool is one of the most popular pastimes amongst holidaymakers abroad but, if pools are not cleaned or maintained properly,  illnesses such as E.coli, cryptosporidium, giardiasis and shigella can occur all of which can give rise to symptoms of vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhoea.

Many of these infections often affect children as they spend so much time in the water.

• Have you or your child/children suffered gastric illness at a package holiday hotel?
• Were other people ill after swimming in the pool at your resort?
• Do you want to claim compensation for cryptosporidiosis or other infection?
• Has a dirty swimming pool caused your holiday illness?

Swimming pool water contamination commonly occurs when parasites or bacteria enter the water which can happen via swimmers or by via insects or birds. Such is the strength of some of the bacteria found in dirty swimming pools that some strains have become resistant to chlorine and hotel owners have to find alternative ways of destroying the dangerous organisms as quickly as possible.

When water becomes contaminated with faecal matter, a wide range of infections can follow and large swimming pools at all inclusive hotels and water parks often harbour bacteria which cause illness. When contaminated water is swallowed it can cause gastric illness and eye, ear and wound infections are also common after swimming in a dirty pool.

Incidents of cryptosporidium have increased during past seasons and personal injury solicitors are dealing with many more cases of holidaymakers claiming compensation for ruined holidays. Many confirmed cases of the illness have been reported at all inclusive hotels with larger-than-average swimming pools.

Cryptosporidiosis can collect on water filters and membranes which cannot be disinfected, although holiday illness from swimming pools can become a thing of the past if the water is filtered properly using modern equipment and if pool water is frequently turned over.

Holidaymakers should never swim in hotel swimming pools if:

• The water appears murky.
• You cannot see the bottom of the pool.
• The pool smells strongly of chemicals.
• The tiles are slimy to the touch.

Tour operators must always do all they can to protect holidaymakers from illness and where the main selling point of a hotel is its water park or swimming pools, every care must be taken to ensure the water is cleaned and filtered on a daily basis. Cryptosporidiosis is an infection that causes diarrhoea, stomach pains and sometimes vomiting, which can be confused with food poisoning. The illness usually lasts 1-2 weeks, and some infected people have no symptoms but can still pass on the parasite to others.

In the past few years, there have been some major outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis in package holiday hotels and it has often been necessary for tour operators to demand that hoteliers close, empty and clean swimming pools. Expensive legal or insurance claims have been made against both the hotel and the tour operator.

In busy swimming pools, especially during the summer season, it is impossible to prevent bacteria from entering the water but holidaymakers should be aware of the dangers of faecal contamination and there should be policies in place to deal with this type of incident. Travellers who have suffered gastric illness should not swim, but many choose to ignore this causing further contamination in the swimming pool.

In an effort to eradicate bacteria, some hoteliers over compensate by adding more chlorine to the pool which can cause skin disorders and additional health problems. In order to maintain the pool and keep it safe to use, an efficient pool filtration system must be adequate for the size of the pool. Chlorine can be supplemented with modern pool cleaning techniques which create cleaner and more hygienic pool water.

Anne Thomson, Head of our Holiday Illness Claims Department says: “It appears that more and more holidaymakers, especially children, are suffering illness after ingesting contaminated water in swimming pools. If illness is caused as a result of poor standards of health and hygiene at a package holiday hotel, the holidaymakers should seek compensation with our help.  Call me for more information on 080001 54321 or fill in the online claim form.”