Reuters- By Megan Rauscher
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Better think twice beofre soothing those aching muscles in a whirlpool bath or hot tub. A new study shows that whirlpool bathtubs can be a breeding ground for a host of disease causing bacteria.
Dr. Rita B. Moyes a microbiologist at Texas A & M University tested 43 water samples from both private and public whirlpool bathtubs. "Every tub tested had some kind of microbial growth," she told Reuters Health.
"And I was just getting the few organisms I was testing for, so
it is probably just the tip of the iceberg as fas as what is really present. Also, I did no viral testing", Moyes Emphasized.
In 95 percent of the tubs, bacteria derived from feces were present, while 81 percent had fungi and 34 percent contained potentially deadly staphylococcus bacteria.
The bacteria found in whirlpool baths can lead to a number of diseases, including infections, skin infections and pneumonia.
Who is most at risk? The young and old and the immunocompromised should not be exposed. "A chemically maintained hot tub should not be a problem to a healthy person but having recurring infections, consider the tub as a potential source," Much reseach is published in an online journal called PM Engineer.
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