If you think you caught a disease or injured yourself while swimming, see a doctor,” Morse said. Try to park your beach chair away from crowds. To avoid getting sick at the beach, the most crucial thing to do is to keep your distance from others.

Stephen Morse, PhD, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University in New York, says swimmers shouldn’t fear the ocean this summer. He plans to visit Florida soon and intends to swim at the beach.© 2005-2020 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. However, some germs, particularly bacteria, are better suited for living in the ocean compared to viruses.

Much of the bacteria found in the ocean does not cause human disease. Factors that may increase risk of infection would be immunosuppression or having an open wound where the ocean organism may come into contact with your body and subsequently cause infection,” Hawkinson told Healthline.Such contamination can cause infection in the gastrointestinal system, the skin, ears, eyes, and respiratory system, as well as to wounds. OCEAN COUNTY – Two Ocean County beaches have been closed to the public due to unsafe bacteria levels. It's better to be safe than sorry. Enjoy your time at the beach, and don’t forget to take a quick shower when you’re done,” she said.

Associated Press All rights reserved. Swimmers should steer clear of the Barnegat Bay side of 25th Street in Barnegat Light as well as Windward Beach in Brick. “This bug can be in the water, and if you go into the water and you have open sores or cuts on your body, it can aggressively enter those lesions and give you necrotizing fasciitis, a kind of flesh-eating bacteria, which can be associated with bloodstream infections,” William Schaffner, MD, a professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical School in Nashville, told Healthline. Like what you see here? They had also completely changed from the microbiota present before their swim.At six hours, their microbiomes began to return to what they were before swimming.“Ocean water is a unique exposure, because not only does it wash off normal skin bacteria, it also deposits foreign bacteria onto the skin. While you have the added bonus of being out in the fresh air instead of in an enclosed area when you're at the beach, there are still risks of getting sick in ocean water and the beach environment. This is very different than a shower or even a pool, because those water sources usually have a low concentration of bacteria,” Chattman Nielsen said.Her team’s research hasn’t been published yet in a peer-reviewed journal.Although ocean water may change the skin microbiome, this doesn’t necessarily mean a person is at risk.Dr. Much of the bacteria found in the ocean does not cause human disease. Ocean swimming is great exercise, relaxing, and puts a person in touch with nature. But after their swim, the microbiome communities of all the participants were similar. Another possible way for germs to enter the ocean is through a sewage spill, Noble says.On top of these infections, Juthani says it's common to pick up respiratory infections like coughs or colds from close exposure to other people. Just take sensible precautions when necessary. Viruses need a host to survive and replicate, says Plus, contagious diseases, such as the common cold, are often airborne. Subscribe to our daily newsletter to get more of it. Noble says this means that they can survive and even replicate on their own in a new environment. That means you're more likely to catch a contagious disease from respiratory droplets in the air — not in the water. The more secluded, the better. Mom Issues Warning After Son Contracts Flesh-Eating Bacteria at Maryland Beach Brittany Carey shared photos of her son's red, peeling wounds after swimming in Ocean City, Maryland And Schaffner isn’t worried about picking up an infection from the ocean, either. LINCOLN COUNTY, OR (KPTV) - The Oregon Health Authority issued a health advisory Tuesday for D River Beach due to higher-than normal levels of fecal bacteria. A leading-edge research firm focused on digital transformation.Germs aren't only in doctors' offices and grocery stores, they're everywhere — even in the ocean. So, you should be more concerned about catching infectious germs from other people, or beach facilities, than from being infected by ocean water. People should continue to enjoy the oceans and protect them,” Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, MPH, a professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at UCLA, told Healthline. “This research isn’t meant to scare anyone.

Dana Hawkinson, an assistant professor at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, says in most cases swimming in the ocean wouldn’t put a person at risk for infection.“Humans have been swimming in the ocean since the dawn of time. The CDC To avoid germs in the water, don't drink the ocean water and avoid going in the ocean if you have open wounds.
How ocean water affects bacteria and viruses Viruses need a host to survive and replicate, says Rachel Noble, PhD, distinguished professor at UNC Institute of Marine Sciences. Research shows ocean water can change your skin microbiome, but experts say it’s still safe for most people to dive in.Your skin microbiome is altered after you swim in the ocean, according to research presented at a conference on microbiology.However, experts interviewed by Healthline say there really isn’t any reason to avoid the beach this summer.“Participants swam in relatively clean water, and still their microbiomes were significantly different after swimming than they were before.

“Don’t swim where you see ‘red tides’ (algal blooms) or fish die-offs. The most common symptom of infection from recreational swimming is diarrhea. We already know that people can get infections from their environment, and the ocean is no different.
Don't play sports like beach volleyball or anything else that requires you to get in close proximity with people outside your household.