[Management of infectious risk associated with therapeutic pools].
There is no specific legislation concerning pools and others medical hydrotherapy equipments relating hygiene and security rules. For this reason, the hydrotherapy pools use the public swimming pools legislation.


METHODS
This article is based on literature review (database Medline and Embase--manual research).


RESULTS
This article offers a review of pool associated infections along with the description of the measures designed to minimise the possible transmission of infection during hydrotherapy activities such as: Technical measures: pool and premises conception, water treatments, feed tanks, air quality. Hygiene rules for patients and hospital staff and pathologies which are contra-indications to hydrotherapy activities. Microbiological and physico-chemical monitoring.


CONCLUSIONS
The infectious risk remains low with therapeutic pools. However, the development of specific legislation and surveillance should be enhanced.


CONCLUSIONS
All these measures are part of the quality assurance program that must be implemented to control the safety of these installations.
Chapuis
C
C
Equipe inter-établissements d'hygiène et d'épidémiologie Rhône-Sud, centre hospitalier Lyon-Sud, pavillon 1M, 69395 Pierre-Bénite, France. catherine.chapuis@chu-lyon.fr
Gardes
S
S
Tasseau
F
F
D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D006875:Hydrotherapy; D017053:Infection Control / Q000592:standards*; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*