Amoeba and water parks

[kandb]

I just recently read the article about the Ohio girl who died after going to a North Carolina water park. I inspect recreational bathing facilities as part of my job in New Jersey but the brain eating amoeba is not a concern here (not yet anyway). First, I know that this is "extremely" rare. I know after researching that it is pretty much bad luck and getting water into your nasal passage that travels directly up to your brain and causes this deadly disease.

My question, is are Disney water parks and pools chlorinated enough to kill the amoeba? I have confidence that Disney is on top of this but the articles say most cases are in Florida and the southern states. I know most cases are in fresh water lakes but it is possible to get from pools/water parks/tap water. I think for my own comfort I will have my children wear nose plugs. The disease is very scary as it is incurable 99% of the time.

 

[CAS239]

I wouldn't worry in a Disney park. The amoeba breeding ground is usually in warm umchlorinated water

 

[Happyinwonerland]

The problem with the N.C. water park was that the water was dirty and murk like river water, which prevented the chlorine and ultraviolet light from killing everything. So as long as the water you're swimming in isn't murky then you are probably fine. If you get to the disney water park and it looks like river water, you should probably do something else that day, for multiple reasons.

 

[crazy_for_the_dis]

What about places like Discovery Cove? This thread got me thinking, since that water is not chlorinated. We've already gone a few times, with no issues, nor have I ever heard of any. Does the salt kill these amoebas?

 

[anniemae]

I wouldn't worry in a Disney park. The amoeba breeding ground is usually in warm umchlorinated water

This is what I thought too, the water that is amoeba breeding is stagnant, like pond water.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

What about places like Discovery Cove? This thread got me thinking, since that water is not chlorinated. We've already gone a few times, with no issues, nor have I ever heard of any. Does the salt kill these amoebas?

The brain eating ameoba lives in fresh water, not salt water. So you're safe at discovery cove.

 

[SueM in MN]

The problem with the N.C. water park was that the water was dirty and murk like river water, which prevented the chlorine and ultraviolet light from killing everything. So as long as the water you're swimming in isn't murky then you are probably fine. If you get to the disney water park and it looks like river water, you should probably do something else that day, for multiple reasons.

Yes - I read the same thing.the water was murky, which prevented chlorine and UV light from killing it.

What about places like Discovery Cove? This thread got me thinking, since that water is not chlorinated. We've already gone a few times, with no issues, nor have I ever heard of any. Does the salt kill these amoebas?

They live in warm temperature freshwater, like lakes, streams and hot springs. So not in ocean water

http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria/general.html

 

[wilkeliza]

I thought the water park in NC was a natural water recreation center meaning the water was the same stuff in the local river and untreated.

Disney's water is well treated. I would imagine the ameba would not be an issue. On top of that it is very rare because it has to be pushed up your nose. It isn't dangerous if it gets in your eyes, ears or mouth. If you are super worried just make sure you pinch your nose and you'll be fine.

 

[crazy_for_the_dis]

Thanks, I did a quick google search and saw the same info regarding salt water. One less thing to potentially worry about!! Thanks again.

 

[ravenclawforever]

At least one type of flesh eating bacteria can live in salt water. We have had either 1 or 2 cases this summer in Galveston. I too wondered about Discovery Cove and Schlitterbaun in New Braunfels which uses river water. It makes me never want to venture into any natural water area.

 

[cornflkgrl]

I wouldn't worry about a braineating amoeba (40 people? In the last 10 years is pretty low rates)...but I would worry about crypto ( read that recent article that said 80% of pools inspected in 5 US states had health or safety violations) or giardia -- which, I guess you know as someone that inspects facilities, aren't killed quickly by chlorine. I understand brain-eating amoeba sounds much scarier, but statistically, much much much less likely.
Whereas, statistically, cryptosporidiosis seems highly likely (how many babies and kids do you see in the pool there?) and could not kill you but would definitely mess up your vacation.

Edited: to correct....because my super smart phone thinks there is a brain "washing" amoeba out there we need to worry about!

 

[oceanmarina]

I feel very confident that Disney takes great care of their pools. The water is never murky/icky, you can tell its well-chlorinated.

I wondered about the water at Discovery Cove - but not too much since for what they charge for a day pass it will never happen for us

 

[yaya74]

Glad to know the water in the waterpark is clean... This thread reminds me of the lake by GF and Poly and those kids playing in the water....

 

[wilkeliza]

I wouldn't worry about a brainwashing amoeba (40 people? In the last 10 years is pretty low rates)...but I would worry about crypto ( read that recent article that said 80% of pools inspected in 5 US states had health or safety violations) or giardia -- which, I guess you know as someone that inspects facilities, aren't killed quickly by chlorine. I understand brain-eating amoeba sounds much scarier, but statistically, much much much less likely.
Whereas, statistically, cryptosporidiosis seems highly likely (how many babies and kids do you see in the pool there?) and could not kill you but would definitely mess up your vacation.

Giardia blech! I worked at the ASPCA shelter in NYC and that is like the most common things puppies would have. You could smell the sickness. I was always afraid I was going to get super sick even with the PPE procedures.

 

[kandb]

I also read that one child got it from a slip and slide and 3 people got it from putting tap water up their noses to cleanse their sinuses, so it's concerning because it's NOT only from murky water or lakes and rivers or unchlorinated water.

 

[wilkeliza]

I also read that one child got it from a slip and slide and 3 people got it from putting tap water up their noses to cleanse their sinuses, so it's concerning because it's NOT only from murky water or lakes and rivers or unchlorinated water.

Yes that is why Neti Pots specifically say use distilled water or water that has been boiled and then cooled.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

I also read that one child got it from a slip and slide and 3 people got it from putting tap water up their noses to cleanse their sinuses, so it's concerning because it's NOT only from murky water or lakes and rivers or unchlorinated water.

Tap water is not chlorinated and treated like the water in a water park. It wouldn't be safe to have that much chlorine in your drinking water

 

[DVCcurious]

Urine kills the amoeba. So you know what to do once you get in the pool...

 

[kandb]

I just read something that says there was 137 cases from 1962 to 2015 and only 3 people survived, so it's more then the 40 cases that they are saying on some other site.

 

[kandb]

I wonder what chlorine level kills the amoeba? Here in NJ, public pools by law, can have a chlorine level of as low as 1.0 ppm of free chlorine, which is very low. They are working on changing our state law and I believe this is one thing that is going to get changed. Our chlorine levels can be as high as 10.0 ppm for public recreational bathing facilities.