Abstract
Background and Purpose: The swimming pool is an important center of entertainment for the public. Pool area is very suitable for the transmission of various diseases, especially fungal and bacterial contamination. The aim of this study was to identify the fungus Candida Albicans, Aspergillus and Penicillium and different bacterial elements in public swimming pools in the fall of 2014. Methods: In this descriptive study, five public swimming pools were investigated in Shahrekord to examine the water contamination for fungal infection in the swimming pools during autumn of 2014. Sampling was done in two different times, and all the microbiological, chemical, and physical tests were done through standard methods. Test parameters included counting and identification of bacteria and fungi, and assessment of the remaining chlorine and pH level. Results: The results revealed that the average pH and chlorine levels were 7.8 and 1.62 mg/L, respectively. The isolated sample of bacteria included Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Other strains of bacteria, i.e. Bacillus cereus, Enterobacter faecalis, Enterobacter aerogenes, and Clostridium perfringens were reported negative. Of 21 strains sampled from five swimming pools in Shahrekord, Penicillium species with 9.52% percent, Candida albicans with 4.76 percent, and Aspergillus species with 9.5 % were isolated. Conclusions: As public swimming pools can be contaminated with different types of parasites and also fungi, observing personal and environmental hygiene, and following standards for remaining free chlorine in water can help reduce the fungal contamination. Considering the fact that most of the bacteria isolated from the pool water in the study contained Escherichia coli, we can conclude that improving the environment and hygienic behavior of the swimmers can be effective in reducing the bacterial contamination in the pools.
Highlights
Public swimming pools are among the water recreation centers that attract many fans to themselves
The current study aims at identifying a number of contaminant bacteria strains and investigating the effect of pH and the remaining free chlorine on Aspergillus, Penicillum, and Candida albicans strains in swimming pools in Shahrekord
The results showed that the highest bacterial contamination was for Escherichia coli with 95.23 percent
Summary
Public swimming pools are among the water recreation centers that attract many fans to themselves. Microbial and bacterial contaminations in water and the environment of pools can cause ear and eye infections, digestive system infections, skin diseases, and infections of the upper respiratory tract in swimmers, especially those with immune system deficiencies [1,2,3]. Studies have shown that pool water can act as a medium to spread fungal diseases among the swimmers. Pools which have a high temperature provide the grounds foe fungal contamination. Other microorganisms such as fecal based bacteria (Escherichia coli), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Fecal streptococcus, and Marinum are among other microorganisms that are found to contaminate water in swimming pools [4,5]. The aim of this study was to identify the fungus Candida Albicans, Aspergillus and Penicillium and different bacterial elements in public swimming pools in the fall of 2014
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
