Reducing illness transmission from disinfected recreational water venues: swimming, diarrhea and the emergence of a new public health concern.

Recreational water-related illnesses are associated with swimming in contaminated water venues. The transmission of diarrheal illness in disinfected settings is influenced by several factors which include: chlorine resistance in waterborne pathogens; poor facility maintenance of disinfectant levels; and lack of healthy swimming habits. Health care providers can help to disseminate healthy swimming messages to their patients and help to prevent and control this emerging public health concern.