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LEGIONELLA - World Health Organization

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Chapter 8 Natural spas,<br />

hot tubs and swimming pools<br />

Susanne Surman-Lee, Vladimir Drasar, John V Lee<br />

This chapter describes how a water safety plan (WSP) can be applied to assessing and managing<br />

the risks associated with Legionella in natural spas, hot tubs and swimming pools.<br />

It should be read in conjunction with Chapter 3, which discusses the different elements that<br />

make up a WSP, and shows how a WSP fits within the framework for safe water quality<br />

developed by the <strong>World</strong> <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Organization</strong> (WHO).<br />

As explained in Chapter 3, a WSP has 10 steps that fit within the three main areas of system<br />

assessment, monitoring and management and communications (see Figure 3.2). A WSP<br />

must be comprehensive, and all 10 steps should be implemented in assessing and managing<br />

the risks associated with Legionella. However, this chapter focuses on parts of the WSP where<br />

information specific to natural spas, hot tubs and swimming pools is needed.<br />

8.1 Background<br />

Bathing has been recognized as a source of infectious disease for centuries; in the 16th century,<br />

it was thought that syphilis, plague and leprosy were linked to bathing, and many public<br />

pools were closed as a result. Today, there continue to be reports of outbreaks of infectious<br />

disease linked to swimming pools, but these can be avoided by:<br />

• good pool management, including adequate filtration and disinfection<br />

• bathers observing advice to shower before entering pools<br />

• bathers refraining from bathing if unwell with diarrhoeal disease.<br />

Immersion in water can be both pleasant and therapeutic, and various techniques have been<br />

used over centuries for a diverse range of physiological effects, such as healing injuries, reducing<br />

swelling and cooling burns, and for psychological effects, such as calming psychiatric patients<br />

(de Jong, 1997). The risk of Legionnaires’ disease from swimming pools, spas and hot tubs is<br />

low if they are well managed.<br />

This chapter covers swimming pools, spas and hot tubs; Box 8.1 explains what is meant by<br />

each of these terms.<br />

<strong>LEGIONELLA</strong> AND THE PREVENTION OF LEGIONELLOSIS

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