BATHER MORBIDITY FROM RECREATIONAL EXPOSURE TO SEA-WATER

Rapid urbanisation in the coastal areas of South Africa has led to inc reasing concern about the potential health effects on bathers resultin g from exposure to contaminated seawater. Water quality criteria in So uth Africa are not epidemiologically derived; consequently a major pro gramme has been launched to develop health-related criteria and polici es pertaining to wastewater and stormwater management in the coastal a reas of South Africa. In the first phase of the project, an epidemiolo gical-microbiological study was carried out at a moderately polluted b each and a relatively clean beach, in the Western Cape. Individuals pr esent at the beach in family groups were interviewed and follow-up tel ephone interviews were conducted 3 - 4 days after the beach outing. Wa ter quality indicators measured on the same day as the beach interview s revealed significantly higher levels of enterococci and faecal colif orms at the moderately polluted beach. Symptom rates for gastrointesti nal, respiratory and skin effects were substantially higher among swim mers relative to non-swimmers at the polluted beach, although they did not reach statistical significance.