Parasites and Health
By: Stephanie Swensen
"Parasites are also a cause of waterborne disease in the United States. Both recreational water (water used for swimming and other activities) and drinking water can become contaminated with parasites and cause illness. Recreational water illnesses (RWIs) are diseases that are spread by swallowing, breathing, or having contact with contaminated water from swimming pools, hot tubs, lakes, rivers, or the ocean."
"The department is advising people not to swim if they are experiencing diarrhea, and not to allow children wearing diapers with diarrhea to swim, not swallowing water in your mouth while swimming, washing hands after using the bathroom or changing a diaper, showering before swimming, changing diapers in a bathroom rather than poolside, and taking children on bathroom breaks often. People with diarrhea should wait until two weeks after it has stopped before swimming."