Swimming alert: The danger of cyanobacteria blooms
Understanding potential
bacterial hazards related to swimming in fresh water lakes and ponds, will help
to protect people and enable everyone to stay healthier, in the future. Yet, people
have been swimming in fresh water lakes and ponds for many years.
Why are bacterial hazards
becoming a concern in our era? Is the water no longer safe? What has changed
and why?
There are global warming trends
and the ecosystem in various parts of the world, may be adversely affected,
rendering conditions right for the enhanced growth of different kinds of
pathogenic bacteria that may prove to be harmful to humans and animals.
What are bacteria?
Bacteria are a large group of
unicellular microorganisms that are only a few micrometers in length. Their
shapes vary from spheres to rods or spirals. They are in every habitat on earth
and that includes unique places, like acidic hot springs
Bacteria are a normal part of
our natural environment, whether we are aware of their presence or not. They
play an important role in the recycling of nutrients.
With respect to bacteria and
how they affect human beings, the immune system normally renders most bacteria
harmless, even though there are some species that are pathogenic and may cause
infectious diseases. Some bacteria are known to be beneficial to human beings.
The increasing presence of
pathogenic bacteria in fresh water lakes and ponds is an area of growing
concern to health experts, everywhere.
When a person swims in water contaminated
by pathogenic bacteria, his or her health may be adversely affected. While
normally, he or she is able to resist most bacterial infections, but there may
be a health problem, particularly if his or her immune system has been
compromised, in some way.
The level of toxicity of the
pathogenic bacteria may be on the increase as well, due to the ecological
changes in the environment. This could increase the risk to anyone swimming in
fresh water lakes and ponds.
What is a hazard?
A hazard is something that
presents a potential threat to person's health or life. While some hazards lie
dormant, others are potential, active or others are mitigated. The level of risk
one takes depends upon the likelihood of the occurrence and the seriousness of
the incident that occurs. Some hazards are natural, while others are man made
and still others are activity related. (2)
A bacterial hazard for human
beings, involves contact with some type of pathogenic or infectious bacteria
that represents a potential threat to one's health and life.
Cyanobacteria is known to be a
pathogenic bacterial hazard. It is recognizable as the blue-green, algae, found
on fresh water lakes and ponds. When one sees a large mass of algae or scum on
a body of standing water, it is referred to as a bloom. It has the appearance
of a thin, oily, film that is floating on top of the water and may be up to
several inches in thickness. Cyanobacteria rise and float on the surface of the
water and obtain their energy through photosynthesis. (3)
Over a period of several days,
when the conditions are right, a cyanobacteria bloom can occur in any body of
water. When the water changes from clear to turbid, this is an indication that
the water has become contaminated by a cyanobacteria bloom.
Swimmers beware!
While not all cyanobacteria
blooms are toxic to human beings, if there are dead fish, birds or animals in
the area of the toxic bloom, it is highly likely that this bacterial growth is
also harmful to adults and children, who play, swim or drink this water. It may
also be toxic to pets.
Cyanobacteria toxins affect the
human liver, nervous system and exposed skin adversely and any contact with the
toxins may cause the following symptoms. allergic reaction, skin rash, swimmer's itch, hives, sore eyes, sore throat, stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, severe muscle and joint pain, headache, seizures and convulsions.
When there is known skin
contact with a cyanobacteria bloom, a person should rinse off his or her skin,
immediately. Medical attention should be sought by anyone who suspects that he
or she has been exposed to the cyanobacteria toxic bloom or has been drinking
water from a source that has become contaminated.
For further information
regarding cyanobacteria, please see the following web sites:
Being aware of potential
bacterial hazards in fresh water lakes and ponds, could save your life and that
of others, so as a word of caution is in order. Do not swim in an area where a
swimming alert has been posted. Avoid swimming in any lakes or ponds that have
blue-green algae indicative of cyanobacteria.
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