Mosquito borne illnesses have played a significant role the course of human history and continue to have repercussions on human health. The World Health Organization (WHO) calls the mosquito the “greatest menace” of all disease-transmitting insects, responsible for several million deaths and hundreds of millions of cases every year. Malaria alone, transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes,
How can you help your children avoid some of the infectious illnesses that will be shared this season? According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, proper hand-washing is one of the most important ways to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. But nagging kids to wash their hands is seldom
Norovirus, the notorious “stomach bug,” can spread like wildfire through homes, schools, healthcare facilities and cruise ships. According to a recent report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the virus also can be spread among swimmers in natural water bodies. In July, 2014, 70 people became ill with norovirus after swimming
As the swimming season kicks off, health experts from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Water Quality and Health Council and the National Swimming Pool Foundation (NSPF) have teamed up to launch a campaign to stop people from peeing in the pool. To do so, they are busting a couple of colorful myths associated with this clandestine activity.
We all have a stake in the outcome of the battle against antimicrobial resistance. Everyone, from the global public health expert to the ordinary citizen, can play a role in reversing a dangerous trend in the balance of power between humans and pathogens.
An antimicrobial resistant “superbug” could give sailors and windsurfers competing in the 2016 Summer Olympics more to worry about than their athletic performance. Evidence of superbugs–bacteria resistant to common antibiotics—have been found in the sewage-laden Carioca River, which flows into Guanabara Bay, the planned site of Olympic sailing and windsurfing events.
After the record cold winter of 2013-14, lots of folks are enjoying summertime by swimming in the pool. As you cool off, dazzle your fellow swimmers with the truth about these common swimming pool myths: Myth #1: The heavy chemical smell around the pool is a reminder that chlorine is present in the water for
Learning to swim is an investment that can pay dividends in health, enjoyment and living a long life. Knowing how to swim can mean the difference between life and death, and opens up a world of other activities, like sailing, canoeing, fishing and water skiing, making them safer and more fun. This summer, the National
Are you a backyard pool owner? Do you sometimes wish you could have free expert advice on pool maintenance? Your wish just came true: check out the Water Quality & Health Council’s popular online “Ask a Pool Operator” feature. The “Ask a Pool Operator” web page includes an extensive archive of questions and answers organized
Annual Pool Survey Find Americans Anxious to Shake Off Winter Blues and Dive In WASHINGTON, D.C. – One in three Americans – and over half of Americans in the Northeast and Midwest regions – said the long, brutal winter of 2014 caused their worst cabin fever in at least a decade, and the “cure” many