Certain health risks have been associated with recreational exposure t
o faecally polluted water. Canoeing in certain South African waters is
considered to be a high risk activity with regard to schistosomiasis,
gastroenteritis and possibly hepatitis. In a cross-sectional study, a
serosurvey was conducted amongst canoeists to ascertain whether or no
t they had a higher seroprevalence to hepatitis A virus, Norwalk virus
and Schistosoma spp. than non-canoeists. In comparisons between the t
wo groups, a significant association could not be demonstrated between
canoeing and antibody response to hepatitis A and Norwalk viruses (P-
values for age-adjusted Chi(2) were 0.083 and 0.219 respectively), but
a significant association could be demonstrated between canoeing and
the antibody response to Schistosoma spp. (P < 0.001; age-adjusted).