Who doesn’t love the relaxing feel of a hot tub or Jacuzzi? The sensation can be heavenly soaking your body in the pleasant warm water. But!! Halt right there!! Don’t get to used to a hot tub because it is also a hotbed of germs and bacteria. Yes there is a lot of bacteria in hot tubs. According to Dr Pritish Tosh an infectious disease specialist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and germ expert Kelly Reynolds, PhD, director of environmental health sciences at the University of Arizona, Here are ten things to know before you even immerse you foot in a hot tub.
Each time someone soaks their body in a hot tub, they also soak their sweat, dirt, grime and germs too. You get the best of bacteria in a hot tub and you don’t expect the water to be changed after every individual enters and leaves. Keeping this in mind you could well imagine the diversity and quantity of bacteria and dirt in the hot water. Moreover gastrointestinal bacteria such as ecoli, shigella and Vibrio can also enter a hot tub through feces. Yuck!!
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The temperature of a hot tub is perfect for breeding of bacteria. In fact if you though the heat is enough to kill germs you are wrong. It’s just right for germs to thrive for weeks on end.
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A hot tub is like a community bath being shared by two or three people at a time. Thus pathogens, bacteria and even disease can be transmitted in a hot tub pool. Just one person can contaminate a hot tub.
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Although a hot tub can be cleaned of germs, the biggest problem is the heat of a hot tub that neutralizes the disinfecting power of chemicals which then need to be replaced frequently. Health authorities state that a hot tub should be disinfected every hour when in heavy use. Chlorine content should be 2-4ppm, bromine 4-6ppm and pH level 7.2-7.8. Slimy bacteria should also be scrubbed off the surface of hot tubs.
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Chlorine in a hot tub gets reduced by items like sunscreen, sweat and skin care products, urine and skin cells also react with chlorine forming chloramines a known skin and eye irritant. The ideal practice is to shower before entering a hot tub.
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Hot tub Folliculitis is a rash common to hot tubs says Dr Tosh. It covers the entire body and is caused by the bacteria known as pseudomonas aeruginosa that attacks hair follicles. The rash resembles chicken pox and is difficult to treat. The only prevention is constant replacement of chlorine that kills the bacteria.
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Bacteria in hot tubs can cause a condition called ingrown hair caused by the bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus which is carried by 50% of a population on skin. This can also infect open wounds and cuts.
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Now this is one disgusting aspect of hot tubs created by equally disgusting and unhygienic people. However what you should also know is that microscopic poop is also present on your Smartphone. Five people in a hot tub will contribute a minimum of a tablespoon of poop from fecal matter present on skin according to Dr Reynolds. Kids can contribute ten times the amount. This is why its extremely important to keep a hot tub very clean and free from such contaminants.
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Anyone with a gastrointestinal infection or diarrhea should only enter a hot tub after two weeks. The reason for this is because that is the time taken for the body to recover and stop shedding bacteria related to diarrhea. You can make others sick if this water is swallowed because millions of bacteria will enter the water thanks to you. The biggest prevention, in this case, is to keep your head above water at all times.
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Cryptosporidium is a bacterial parasite that tolerates chlorine and can easily survive in a hot tub. It can cause diarrhea lasting for weeks and has no cure so if you contract it you just have to manage it till the disease runs its course.
Crypto is passed through feces and can even result in death. The bacteria in hot tubs is chlorine tolerant and can withstand chemicals for days.
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