Is it okay to go swimming when you have diarrhea?

People with diarrhea should not swim, even if their symptoms have subsided, as they can still release pathogens into the water and pose a risk to others. When diarrhea is caused by infection, pathogens remain in the stool even after the patient feels better; even a very small amount of stool can contaminate the water.

Agents such as Norovirus, Giardia, Shigella, E. coli, and Cryptosporidium in human feces can spread in swimming pools, hot tubs, or natural water sources. Swimmers are easily infected by ingesting contaminated water, especially children.

Chlorinated pool water is not completely safe because disinfectants take time to kill microorganisms and are not effective against all pathogens. Cryptosporidium can withstand chlorinated environments for more than 7 days, meaning even clear and filtered pools are at risk of infection if contaminated with feces. Ponds, lakes, rivers, and the sea are also not safer because they are not disinfected and water quality changes with the environment.

Swimming is not recommended when you have diarrhea, even if your symptoms have subsided. (Illustration: Vecteezy)

Furthermore, diarrhea causes dehydration, electrolyte loss, and energy depletion; swimming before recovery can lead to fatigue, dizziness, exhaustion, and a recurrence of digestive symptoms.

For common diarrhea, avoid swimming for at least 48 hours after your last loose bowel movement. If you are infected or suspected of being infected with Cryptosporidium, avoid swimming pools and water parks for at least two weeks after symptoms have subsided to limit the spread of the parasite.

Only return to swimming when diarrhea has stopped for a sufficient amount of time, and you no longer have a fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, or signs of dehydration, and can resume normal activities. Before entering the water, swimmers should shower thoroughly, wash their hands with soap, and avoid swallowing water.

If diarrhea is prolonged, recurrent, bloody in the stool, accompanied by high fever, frequent vomiting, severe abdominal pain, or signs of dehydration, the patient needs to see a doctor for timely assessment and treatment.

Vaccines are available to prevent several causes of diarrhea, such as rotavirus, cholera, typhoid, and hepatitis A. Rotavirus causes acute diarrhea and is transmitted through the fecal-oral route. Three vaccines are available: Rotavin M1 (Vietnam), administered orally from 6 weeks to 6 months of age; Rotarix (Belgium) and Rotateq (USA), administered from 6 weeks to 24 weeks of age; the US vaccine extends to before 8 months. Cholera is transmitted through contaminated water, causing severe diarrhea, vomiting, and rapid dehydration. It can be prevented with the Morcvax vaccine (Vietnam), used for children over 2 years old and adults.

Typhoid causes high fever, fatigue, headache, dry vomiting, constipation, ulcers, intestinal perforation, and can be fatal. Bacteria can survive for a long time in feces; effective prevention is achieved with the Typhoid VI (Vietnam) and Typhim VI (France) vaccines, administered to children over 2 years old and adults. For hepatitis A, vaccines include single-dose and combined vaccines that also protect against hepatitis B; the single-dose is indicated for individuals from 12 months to under 16 years old or from 24 months to under 18 years old, depending on the vaccine type, with at least 6 months between doses. The combined vaccine is for children from 12 months old and adults.