Hot tubs can spread infection

http://health.msn.com/health-topics/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100236417&GT1=31036

Can someone please explain to me how any of the bacteria that they listed in this article can survive in chlorinated hot tub water?
The last time I checked, NOTHING survives in chlorine/bleach.

 

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My husband and I go to the hot tubs :shy: and I wouldn't think bacteria would survive there. There are a lot of chemicals in publicly used hot tubs.
But I don't think people put as much chemicals in a private hot tub as a publicly used one. I can see it happening.

 

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Well the article does mention hotel hot tubs. Which by your account in bold, would be cleaner than private ones. Which means there should be even fewer cases of infections acquired via them.

My current house is just too small for one but I will have one at my next house. And in light of this article, I plan on being uber anal about keeping it disinfected.

 

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will you let your dogs in it?

 

In theory yes. But given a hot tub's size, I doubt it.
Now if I ever got a swimming pool, I'd let them in it, or if I ever got to take them to the lake, I'd let them get in the water. I wouldn't let them in the ocean because of the undertow risks.

Also, since I have to chase the smaller two down and physically pick them up to put them in the bathtub for their baths, I doubt they would even want to get in it.

 

Chlorine/bleach is surely a type of disinfectant, and in contact with it, bacteria will die. However, there are several ways bacteria live in water. The one that are attached to the surface of the material, in this case the hot tub, are likely to survive since they are not in direct contact -or in contact with only very small concentration- of the desinfectant. They occupy so called biofilm, which is a thin layer on the interface between the hot tub surface and the water. If only I can draw some illustrations for you.

To remove the bacteria completely, you need not only to add desinfectant into the water, but also to apply sufficient force to remove the biofilm completely (means, brush it well!) and then rinse and dry it well. But then again, in public hot tub, such as in hotel, you'll never know how the cleaning service officers dry the tub. Do they use clean towel/rag or they just used one rag repeatedly to clean the whole hotel tubs? :shrug: This was from my short experience working part time in that sector long time ago in Germany. The lady who works with me used to use the same rag for drying the toilet bowl/closet and for drying the hot tub altogether!

 

This article should help:

 

It sounds like the biofilm on a hot tub surface is almost like plaque on your teeth.
That does make a bit of sense, but isn't there any human safe substance you could add to the water that would prevent the biofilm from even forming? kinda like some sort of semi permanent mouthwash?

Wait, which surfaces are you talking about that gets biofilm? You'd have to drain the hot tub in order for the seats to be dry.

 

Thanks. Now all we need is to concoct a formula for something that would dissolve or break up that biofilm. I'm still shocked that chlorine has little effect on something like that. I'm sure we could find some sort of enzyme that is human skin safe that would break up biofilm like it's cool.

 

mikenostic can i point out that if its just you using it then what are you actually risking?

say there was bacteria growing in it, its going to be the same bacteria growing in your enviroment already. Anthrax isnt going to suddenly pop up in your spa

 

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anthrax?? You think he's worried about anthrax? Did you even read the article he linked to?

How about if one of his smaller dogs got in the hot tub and something grew from that? Or something wind borne flew into the tub and something was on that?

I think its a very valid concern

 

how many bacteria do you think live in your eye lashes? In your asshole, around your genetals, on your hands ect ect. Its stupid and dangerious to try to sterilise the enviroment.

Im not saying dont use chlorine because the water goes stagnant if you dont, but stop stressing about what bacteria are in your enviroment, they are all over you anyway and are for the most part HARMLESS

 

and all of those things would be on him that he is living with. The other things WHICH I MENTIONED are foreign which his body may not tolerate.

 

If it is only me, then I wouldn't be risking anything. But if I got a hot tub, and I had a girl over and she wanted to get into it, in we go. Same thing if friends came over. The hot tub would ultimately be for me, but it would also be for company when they came over.

 

ok how about if the small dog jumped on him (which im sure happens) or on the bed ect?

If you live around animals then your regulally exposed to the bacteria they carry, WHICH IS A GOOD THING. As i tried to explain to you in another thread pets and country living both reduce the risks of asthma and anaphalxis

to quote a conversation about the subject with roman:

http://www.sciforums.com/showthread.php?t=92065

Now on to something blowing in from over the fence. You dont think things blow in from everywhere and into your kitchen or your house? how often do you open your windows?

Again for the most part they are HARMLESS and we are exposed to them on a daily (or even hourly) basis

 

But what if they stew in a warm wet environment. Dry vs wet is different.

 

so you have no water in your enviroment dont you?

You dont have a sink in your house which might be damp?
you dont have a bath or shower which might be damp? ect

and you think the bacteria change because they are now in water from a harmless bacteria to a deadly one do you?

Basically mike what you need to worry about is:
a) mosquetos (so put a cover on it)
b) it going stagnant

the rest is really irrelivent or counter productive

 

did you even read the article? Its amazing how you know more than this person.
Rebecca Campen, M.D., J.D. is an Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School and former Deputy Director of the Harvard/Massachusetts General Hospital Cutaneous Biology Research Center (CBRC).

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you dont think she is streching things?

so why bring it up since it makes apsolutly no difference?

Broncitis again if you cough on someone you can infect them, DUH (same with TB)

orleander if you actually used the brain in your head for a minute you would see that the biggest risk of infection is PEOPLE, not a spa. If you come in contact with PEOPLE you are at risk of infection. She quoted NO statistics, no sources. If i handed that up as a definitive piece of work i would be laughed at. So NO i dont have a huge amount of respect for the artical, its just the typical scare mongering that goes on about bacteria with no mention of the fact that we would all be dead with out them and the risks of anaphalaxis (and asthma and related) from living in such a sterile world

 

fine. My brain says you never do either. Or they are so old its laughable.
So if I am to believe you, where are your statistics and sources?