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Germs in the tub?
Hot tubs are a great place to relax and restore…unfortunately bugs of the unfriendly kind like to relax in hot tubs and whirlpools as well. In fact these water baths are a breeding ground for all kinds of bacteria you’ll never see but may experience. A recent study by Texas A & M showed every hot tub water sample had some nasty occupants. 95% of the samples showed bacteria that arrived via fecal matter (don’t ask) , 81% had fungi and 34% had the dreaded and deadly staph bacteria. And these were the target bacteria tested. The samples were not tested for a number of deadly bacteria and no viral presence was tested. Compare these results with your tap water that many times is bacteria free. A teaspoon of hot tub water however contained over two million bacteria.
One of the reasons the hot tubs and whirlpools are so busy with these little guys is due to the pipes inside the tubs that never get cleaned, are not filtered or even treated with bacteria killing chemicals. Once the bacteria start to grow they become even more resistant to chemicals and form a biofilm…a virtual super bowl of infection. Then add the fact that when the tub or whirlpool jets are turned on, the bacteria join with the water in swooshing out into the tub. With the swirling water and humidity, the bacteria can be breathed in by the tub occupants and lead to the possibility of urinary tract and skin infections, along with the possibility of pneumonia.
If you are plagued with some of these types of infections, look to the possibility that your hot tub is playing host to some nasty, nasty germs.
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