CDC report reveals

Water lovers be careful. your local fountain may be full of diarrhea-causing germs A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention details how these recreational water sources have caused a host of gastrointestinal illnesses since their arrival.

CDC scientists examined surveillance data on waterborne outbreaks dating back to the mid-1990s, when splash pads first became popular in the U.S. The findings are the first to measure the extent of damage associated with splash pads.

Splash pads, also called spray bags or interactive fountains, provide a safer way for people, especially small children, to enjoy the water are not without risk, as this new report shows.

State and local health departments have regularly reported outbreaks of waterborne illnesses linked to splash pads over the years, some of which to report occasional news. But the CDC report appears to be the first to summarize the number of these outbreaks.

In total, the CDC has recorded at least 60 outbreaks related to the spray cans from 1997 to 2022. These outbreaks have resulted in more than 10,000 illnesses and 152 deaths No cases were reported published Thursday in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Like other recreational sources, spray pads must use chlorine-treated water, but there are some aquatic insects that are naturally resistant to chlorine, particularly the parasite Cryptosporidium. And it is this parasite that accounts for most of the disease seen in sprinkle pads, accounting for two-thirds (40) of the outbreaks and 90% of the total cases Cryptosporidiumthe CDC found. Splash pads are also less regulated than other sources of recreation, at least in some states, which may allow improperly designed splash pads to be at higher risk in general.

Another important factor in these outbreaks is human behavior. Children under five are the most likely to play in splash pads, and they are also less likely to have “toileting and hygiene skills,” according to the CDC. In other words, it’s their infected poop that usually ends up contaminating the local pad, and so-called “swim diapers” offer no protection from that either not understanding the need to avoid the water if they’ve recently had diarrhea, which is a common warning at recreational water facilities (ie, many unhygienic adults also ignore that advice).

Before kids can be kids, the CDC authors say more work needs to be done to mitigate these outbreaks. Their recommendations include expanding regulations on splash pads, adding secondary lines of disinfection, such as UV light treatment, to further reduce the risk. Cryptosporidiumand advising parents not to encourage behavior in their children that increases the risk of infection, such as children standing or sitting on airplanes.Um, on that last point, good luck with that.