Michigan May Get Violently Ill, Why? Don’t Swim After Having This

Have you ever been to a public pool, having a great time, cooling off on a hot Michigan summer day, when suddenly the PA squeaks, followed by the following:

We have to ask everyone to exit the pool for cleaning

Which translated into lamens terms means, somebody...went...in the pool. Not a 1 either. Usually the 'act' was perpetrated by an infant or baby, but it spoils the soup for everybody when they add that extra little ingredient. Why do they need to shut down the whole pool for one little...accident? That one little accident has BILLIONS AND BILLIONS of bacteria just wandering around in there. A single gram of human poop can contain 1,000,000,000,000 illness causing germs.

Related: This Michigan Parasite Burrows Into Your Skin, and Dies There

"Okay, I won't poop in the pool, problem solved". Not quite. You see showers are provided before going into a pool for many reasons, but first and foremost, it's to stop the spread of germs. Using soap and water before diving in protects you and everyone else in the water. But, if you've experienced one of the least pleasant symptoms known to man in the last 2 weeks, stay out of the water. What symptom?

Yes, if you recently had diarrhea please stay out of the pool. That goes for kids, moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, and ANYONE who has experienced any form of diarrhea in the last 2 weeks should not get in the water.

The Centers for Disease Control issued a warning early this summer about the spread of cyclosporiasis. Cyclosporiasis, according to the CDC is:

...is diarrheal illness caused by a parasite called Cyclospora cayetanensis.

I know. Gross. But, unfortunately, we have to talk about it. Why? Because even once your 'runs' have run their course, your body's 'exit' still contains and excretes the microscopic Cyclospora that can survive, even in chlorinated water, long enough to get someone sick.

Related: Stay Healthy Michigan! Defeating the Top 5 Summer Illnesses

The CDC recently studied an outbreak of Cyclospora on a college swim team where 19 of the 50 members of the team had fallen ill and spread that ailment to 2 other college swim teams because they had swam after having diarrhea. So how does that little parasitic illness get into your body? The Unversity of Rochester offers this:

• By touching the stool of an infected person, such as when touching dirty diapers

• By touching an object contaminated with the stool of an infected person, and then eating the germs. This often happens by touching the mouth with the contaminated hand. This can occur at daycare centers or at home in places where diapered babies play.

• By eating or drinking contaminated food or water

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Can you understand how bringing your precious little angel into the pool after a recent blowout may not be in the best interest of the other families swimming in the pool?

Obviously, accidents happen, but if you can wait for 2 hours after eating before you go swimming, you can wait for 2 weeks before you go into the water after a bout of diarrhea. Everyone else in the pool thanks you.