Health effects of white-water canoeing.
There is little quantitative information on the relation between water quality and disease attack rates after recreational activities in fresh water. We conducted a prospective cohort study to measure the health effects of white-water and slalom canoeing in two channels with different degrees of microbial contamination. Site A, fed by a lowland river, showed high enterovirus concentrations (arithmetic mean 198 pfu per 10 litre and moderate faecal coliform concentrations (geometric mean 285/dl); at site B, from an upland impoundment, all samples were free of enteroviruses and the geometric mean faecal coliform concentration was 22/dl. Between 5 and 7 days after exposure canoeists using site A had significantly higher incidences of gastrointestinal and upper respiratory symptoms than canoeists using site B or non-exposed controls (spectators). Like seawater bathers, fresh-water canoeists can be made ill by sewage contamination. The hazard of fresh water may be best measured by counting of viruses rather than bacteria.
Fewtrell
L
L
Centre for Research into Environment and Health, University of Wales, Lampeter, UK.
Godfree
A F
AF
Jones
F
F
Kay
D
D
Salmon
R L
RL
Wyer
M D
MD
D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005618:Fresh Water; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012722:Sewage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013177:Sports; D006113:United Kingdom; D014871:Water Microbiology
D012722:Sewage