{"id":12903,"date":"2021-11-22T13:51:19","date_gmt":"2021-11-22T18:51:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/environmental-health\/?page_id=12903"},"modified":"2026-04-03T13:50:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T17:50:13","slug":"pools-other-gastrointestinal-illnesses","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/environmental-health\/environmental-health-services\/swim-healthy\/pools-other-gastrointestinal-illnesses\/","title":{"rendered":"Pools &#8211; Other Gastrointestinal Illnesses"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pl-12903\"  class=\"panel-layout\" ><div id=\"pg-12903-0\"  class=\"panel-grid panel-no-style\" ><div id=\"pgc-12903-0-0\"  class=\"panel-grid-cell\" ><div id=\"panel-12903-0-0-0\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-first-child\" data-index=\"0\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Germs, or <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recreational Water Illnesses<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, are often found in the places we swim. These germs can cause gastrointestinal illness that cause diarrhea &amp; vomiting. D<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">iarrhea is the most common recreational water illness. People who have diarrhea can spread it to others when they swim.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Three of the most common germs that cause waterborne gastrointestinal illnesses in Virginia are<\/strong>:\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/environmental-health\/environmental-health-services\/draft-swim-healthy-new-landing-page\/poolscrypto\/\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cryptosporidium<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/epidemiology\/epidemiology-fact-sheets\/giardiasis\/\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Giardia<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/waterborne-hazards-control\/recreational-water-illnesses\/vibrio\/\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vibrio<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Other germs that cause waterborne gastrointestinal illness include:<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-12903-0-0-1\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-accordion\" data-index=\"1\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-accordion so-widget-sow-accordion-default-8291070ca139-12903\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t><div>\n\t<div class=\"sow-accordion\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-panel\n\t\t\t\t\t\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-anchor-id=\"norovirus\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-panel-header-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-panel-header\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" id=\"accordion-label-norovirus\" aria-controls=\"accordion-content-norovirus\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"sow-accordion-title sow-accordion-title-icon-left\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNorovirus\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-open-close-button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-open-button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"sow-icon-ionicons\" data-sow-icon=\"&#xf218;\"\n\t\t \n\t\taria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-close-button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"sow-icon-ionicons\" data-sow-icon=\"&#xf209;\"\n\t\t \n\t\taria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"sow-accordion-panel-content\"\n\t\t\t\trole=\"region\"\n\t\t\t\taria-labelledby=\"accordion-label-norovirus\"\n\t\t\t\tid=\"accordion-content-norovirus\"\n\t\t\t\tstyle=\"display: none;\"\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-panel-border\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/epidemiology\/epidemiology-fact-sheets\/norovirus-infection\/\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Norovirus <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">usually starts suddenly and causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps. The virus is found in the stool and vomit of infected people and spreads very easily from person to person.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People with norovirus are most contagious from the moment they start feeling sick until about three days after they feel better. Some people can continue to spread the virus for up to a month after they recover. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can get norovirus while swimming if you swallow contaminated water or get it in your mouth.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you or your family is sick with norovirus, stay home and don\u2019t go swimming.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-panel\n\t\t\t\t\t\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-anchor-id=\"shigella\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-panel-header-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-panel-header\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" id=\"accordion-label-shigella\" aria-controls=\"accordion-content-shigella\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"sow-accordion-title sow-accordion-title-icon-left\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tShigella\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-open-close-button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-open-button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"sow-icon-ionicons\" data-sow-icon=\"&#xf218;\"\n\t\t \n\t\taria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-close-button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"sow-icon-ionicons\" data-sow-icon=\"&#xf209;\"\n\t\t \n\t\taria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"sow-accordion-panel-content\"\n\t\t\t\trole=\"region\"\n\t\t\t\taria-labelledby=\"accordion-label-shigella\"\n\t\t\t\tid=\"accordion-content-shigella\"\n\t\t\t\tstyle=\"display: none;\"\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-panel-border\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shigella is a bacterium that causes <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/epidemiology\/epidemiology-fact-sheets\/shigellosis\/\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">shigellosis<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anyone can get shigellosis, but it is most common in young children. People who get shigellosis may have diarrhea, fever, and sometimes blood or mucus in their stool. Some people may also feel sick to their stomach or vomit, and others may not have any symptoms at all.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People with Shigella pass the bacteria in their stool. This can spread to surfaces, food, or water. While swimming, a person can get infected if they swallow contaminated water.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you or your family is sick with shigella, stay home and don\u2019t go swimming.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-panel\n\t\t\t\t\t\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-anchor-id=\"e-coli\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-panel-header-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-panel-header\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" id=\"accordion-label-e-coli\" aria-controls=\"accordion-content-e-coli\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"sow-accordion-title sow-accordion-title-icon-left\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tE. coli\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-open-close-button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-open-button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"sow-icon-ionicons\" data-sow-icon=\"&#xf218;\"\n\t\t \n\t\taria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-close-button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"sow-icon-ionicons\" data-sow-icon=\"&#xf209;\"\n\t\t \n\t\taria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"sow-accordion-panel-content\"\n\t\t\t\trole=\"region\"\n\t\t\t\taria-labelledby=\"accordion-label-e-coli\"\n\t\t\t\tid=\"accordion-content-e-coli\"\n\t\t\t\tstyle=\"display: none;\"\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-panel-border\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/epidemiology\/epidemiology-fact-sheets\/shiga-toxin-producing-escherichia-coli-stec\/\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">E. coli<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are bacteria that normally live in the intestines of people and animals. Most types are harmless, but some can make people sick. These harmful types can cause stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and chills. People can get E. coli infections from swimming in water that has been contaminated with stool.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">People who are infected with E. coli pass the bacteria in their stool. This can then spread to surfaces, food, or water. When swimming, a person can get sick by swallowing contaminated water.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you or your family are sick with <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">E. coli<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, stay home and don\u2019t go swimming.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-panel\n\t\t\t\t\t\"\n\t\t\t\tdata-anchor-id=\"algal-toxins\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-panel-header-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-panel-header\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" id=\"accordion-label-algal-toxins\" aria-controls=\"accordion-content-algal-toxins\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"sow-accordion-title sow-accordion-title-icon-left\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAlgal toxins\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-open-close-button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-open-button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"sow-icon-ionicons\" data-sow-icon=\"&#xf218;\"\n\t\t \n\t\taria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-close-button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"sow-icon-ionicons\" data-sow-icon=\"&#xf209;\"\n\t\t \n\t\taria-hidden=\"true\"><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"sow-accordion-panel-content\"\n\t\t\t\trole=\"region\"\n\t\t\t\taria-labelledby=\"accordion-label-algal-toxins\"\n\t\t\t\tid=\"accordion-content-algal-toxins\"\n\t\t\t\tstyle=\"display: none;\"\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sow-accordion-panel-border\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Algal toxins come from <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">harmful algal blooms<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/waterborne-hazards-control\/harmful-algal-blooms\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Harmful algal blooms (HABs)<\/a> happen when certain bacteria in the water - called cyanobacteria or blue-green algae - grow too much.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If someone swallows water with these toxins, it can cause stomach problems like pain, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Touching the water can lead to skin or eye irritation, tingling or numbness around the mouth or fingers, or dizziness. Breathing in mist from the water may also irritate the lungs.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HABs can be dangerous. Avoid swimming in water that looks green, red, or brown, or if there\u2019s a posted swimming advisory.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn more about HABs on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/waterborne-hazards-control\/harmful-algal-blooms\/\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VDH\u2019s Water Borne Hazards Control<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> webpage.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><div id=\"panel-12903-0-0-2\" class=\"so-panel widget widget_sow-editor panel-last-child\" data-index=\"2\" ><div\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tclass=\"so-widget-sow-editor so-widget-sow-editor-base\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t>\n<div class=\"siteorigin-widget-tinymce textwidget\">\n\t<h2><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Germs can get into the water in different ways:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When they wash off of swimmers\u2019 bodies<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When swimmers have diarrhea in the water<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When rainwater washes germs into beaches or swimming areas<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>How can swimmers protect themselves?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t swim or play in water if you or your child has been sick with diarrhea in the past 2 weeks.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t swallow the pool water. Try to keep water out of your mouth.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shower BEFORE and AFTER swimming.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Germs, or Recreational Water Illnesses, are often found in the places we swim. These germs can cause gastrointestinal illness that cause diarrhea &amp; vomiting. Diarrhea is the most common recreational water illness. People who have diarrhea can spread it to others when they swim.\u00a0 Three of the most common germs that cause waterborne gastrointestinal illnesses [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":453,"featured_media":0,"parent":8591,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12903","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Pools - Other Gastrointestinal Illnesses - Environmental Health<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Germs are often found in the places we swim. 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