The legionella bugs bubbling away in hot tubs

A QUARTER of hot tubs, a favourite feature in spas and health clubs, have been found to contain the potentially lethal bacteria that cause legionnaires’ disease.  A year-long survey by the Health Protection Agency of 88 health clubs found that 26 per cent of the baths contained legionella bacteria.

 

Of those that tested positively for the bug, which is caught from water supplies and causes a potentially deadly form of pneumonia, two thirds had passed necessary hygiene standards.

Susanne Surman-Lee, who headed the survey, said the findings highlighted serious problems in the quality control of spa pools.

The agency is to consider introducing mandatory testing of all whirlpool baths.  “In every spa-related outbreak that we have investigated, the pool had not been managed or designed according to guidelines or had poorly trained staff,” she said. “Because spa pools are increasing in popularity we need greater recognition and understanding of the risks associated with their use and misuse.”

 

The health and spa industry has seen a huge boom in recent years, with more than 2,000 fitness clubs and 400 health spas now operating throughout the country. It is estimated that upwards of five million people use the baths. Spa pools were identified as the source of infection for 27 cases of legionnaires’ disease in England last year, with three deaths, said the agency, which will present the findings of its survey at its annual conference at Warwick University this week.  About 300 cases of the disease are reported in England every year and it kills between 30 and 40 Britons annually. People become infected when they breathe in air that contains legionella bacteria, which have been dispersed in very fine droplets of water known as aerosols.

 

Early symptoms include a flu-like illness with muscle aches, tiredness, headaches, dry cough, fever and sometimes diarrhoea. Dr Surman-Lee said that the study raised questions as to whether routine legionella testing should be included in new Health and Safety Executive and agency guidelines. “Spa pools have the potential to cause infection because the water systems become contaminated with bacteria and the high temperatures of the water make considerable demands upon the disinfection and filtration systems, making it easy for the bacteria to develop and spread if not adequately maintained,” she said. “It has been assumed that if the pool water is satisfactory for routine microbiological checks, then growth and spread of legionella would also be under control.”  But out of 88 premises, 23 spa pools were found to contain legionella bacteria, of which 16 had passed current accepted levels for routine microbiological checks.

Paul Simons, joint chairman of the Spa Business Association, said that the industry would welcome greater regulation. He said that quality rating of spas nationally would be in place within two years. The issue will also be debated at the Leisure Industry Week, a meeting of industry leaders in Birmingham, this month. “When you have good baths as part of a proper spa facility with properly qualified management, then all is fine,” he said.  “But problems start arising when facilities get bolted on as an extra and the staff are not all necessarily adequately qualified.

“We are not aware of any rogue operators per se, but one always has to be vigilant. People trust you with their body and their health and it is a serious responsibility.”

 

DEADLY DISEASE AND HOW IT SPREADS