EFFECT OF SEA BATHING ON HUMAN SKIN MICROORGANISMS

The microbial skin microorganisms of healthy volunteer bathers before and after bathing in Southern Greece coastal areas was monitored. For semi-quantitative analysis, a pad technique was used. Regardless of th e quality of bathing water no bather was colonised by faecal coliforms , faecal streptococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Aeromonas hydrophila on their skin. Fungal contamination of the skin of bathers showed a st atistically significant increase (P=0.019) after bathing in polluted w ater. Staphylococci and aerobic bacterial levels varied before and aft er bathing. However the quality of water had no obvious effect on this variation.