2011–2012 Recreational Water–associated Outbreak Surveillance Report Supplemental Tables

These tables provide supplemental information not published in Outbreaks of illness associated with recreational water — United States, 2011–2012 (MMWR Weekly).

Table 1. Waterborne Disease Outbreaks* Associated with Treated Recreational Water and Untreated Recreational Water, by Year and Jurisdiction — Waterborne Disease and Outbreak Surveillance System, United States, 2011–2012

Treated Recreational Water

Untreated Recreational Water

 Top of Page

Abbreviations: AGI = acute gastrointestinal illness; ARI = acute respiratory illness; Eye = illnesses, conditions, or symptoms related to the eyes;  Skin = illnesses, conditions, or symptoms related to the skin.

* n=90; treated water, n=69; untreated water, n=21

† Based on epidemiologic, clinical laboratory, and environmental data (e.g., water quality data) reported to CDC. For more information, refer to the strength-of-evidence classification table.

§ Provides information about etiologies and whether these were confirmed—denoted as “etiology (C)”—or suspected—denoted as “etiology (S)”.

¶ The category of illness reported by 50% of ill respondents. All legionellosis outbreaks were categorized as ARI.

** One outbreak-related death was reported.

†† Pool was a manufactured venue that is filled with untreated irrigation water.

§§ No information reported

¶¶ Exposures to recreational water venues in Ohio were also documented for this outbreak.

*** Etiology unidentified: disinfection by-products (e.g., chloramines), altered water chemistry, or extremely elevated chlorine levels suspected based on reported data.

††† Replacement of burned out bulbs for the UV disinfection system was considered a treatment deficiency since there was a chance of the problem being fixed prior to the outbreak.

§§§ Pond was a manufactured venue that is filled with filtered and chlorinated water.

¶¶¶ Aerosolized disinfectant was also a possible etiology for this outbreak.

**** Free chlorine (5ppm) and combined chlorine (10ppm) detected in water samples collected during or within 1 day of dates of exposure.

†††† These nine Cryptosporidium outbreaks in Ohio during the summer of 2011 may have been part of a community-wide/state-wide outbreak.

§§§§ Case-patients reported earaches in addition to dermatologic symptoms

¶¶¶¶ Spa was a portable venue.

***** One or more case-patients reported fever, headache, cough, vomiting or diarrhea in addition to eye-related symptoms.

††††† Venue is a creek that flows into an ocean.

§§§§§ One or more case-patients reported wound infections and respiratory, gastrointestinal, ear and eye symptoms in addition to skin symptoms.

¶¶¶¶¶ Microcystin toxin (20 ppb) detected in water samples collected during or within 1 day of dates of exposure. Anabaena, Aphanizomenon, Gloetrichia, Microcystis, Oscillatoria, Lyngbya spp. detected from algal samples.

Download PDF

• Line List – Recreational Water Outbreaks, 2011-2012 [PDF – 5 pages]

 Top of Page

Table 2. Number of Waterborne Disease Outbreaks Associated with Recreational Water, by Predominant Illness* and Type of Water Exposure — Waterborne Disease and Outbreak Surveillance System, 2011–2012

Abbreviations: AGI = acute gastrointestinal illness; ARI = acute respiratory illness; Eye = illnesses, conditions, or symptoms related to the eyes; Skin = illnesses, conditions, or symptoms related to the skin.

*n=90; The category of illness reported by 50% of ill respondents. All legionellosis outbreaks were categorized as ARI.

Download PDF

• Number of Waterborne Disease Outbreaks Associated with Recreational Water, by Predominant Illness and Type of Water Exposure, 2011-2012 [PDF – 1 page]

 Top of Page