Your Hot Tub And Bacteria

My boys and I had a disagreement today.  We were in a hotel and they wanted to swim.  Imagine that?  Kids wanting to play in a pool.  But for some reason, they were hot to trot about playing in the hot tub.  Bacteria (among other things) are a concern in my book, so I said “No.”  Of course, they were ticked and wanted to know why.

Hot Tub And Bacteria

We don’t have a hot tub in our home.  Kids, wife, and heck probably even the dog would love to have one.  (Not that I think it’s a good idea to let a dog in your hot tub.)  Lots of people get enthusiastic about owning a hot tub for the potential benefits.  The idea is that the jets and hot water will combine to provide relief from pain and discomfort.  But there’s a dark side as well.

According to the consumer product safety commission, the maximum recommended temperature for a hot tub is 104-degrees F.  It just so happens that many bacteria grow very well at such temperatures.  Some of these bacteria include legionella and many slime-producing bacteria.  These slime-producing bacteria form a “biofilm” that adheres extremely well to surfaces and serves to protect the growth of a bacterial colony.  Bottom line.  They’re extremely efficient at surviving, even in the most adverse of conditions.  By combining the elevated temperature of a hot tub with the large number of small jets, orifices, and pipes you are creating a great place to culture bacteria.  The proposed counter-argument is that chlorine-based disinfectants work their magic to kill these critters.  But according to the CDC, water temperatures above 84-degrees F reduce the disinfectant properties of chlorine.

What should you be worried about?

There are several conditions that you should look out for if you choose to enter a hot tub.  Some of them include:

• “Hot Tub Lung” – This is actually not limited to just hot tubs, but all indoor bodies of water.  Using an indoor hot tub will, of course, subject the user(s) to vapor from the tub.  When jets from the tub turn on, they can dislodge any bacteria that have colonized the interior of the tub.  This can be inhaled if it becomes an aerosol.  Health experts believe the “slime-forming” bacteria, such as mycobacteria, are responsible for this condition, which includes pneumonia, among other ills.
• Legionnaires disease – Another form of pneumonia, this time caused by legionella bacteria, which became famous after a 1976 outbreak in Philadelphia.  This condition sends an estimated 8,000-18,000+ people to hospitals each year in the U.S., and up to 30% of cases can result in death.  This bacterial thrives in warm water conditions, and is dangerous when inhaled.  Hot tubs are perfect petri dishes for legionella to thrive.
• Hot Tub Folliculitis – A condition driven by the pseudomonas bacteria, it results in a rash around hair follicles.  The rash usually goes away on its own, but in rare cases, may cause scarring or even death of the hair follicle.

A review of 5,000 public hot tubs by the CDC showed 60% to be neglected and capable of making people sick.  This demonstrated clearly that hot tubs are a) perfect breeding grounds for bacteria, and b) very difficult to care for properly.  So, if you choose to enter a hot tub, even a home hot tub, tread carefully.  That “relaxing soak” may end up costing you more than you planned.

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