BACTERIAL ASSOCIATED WITH SWIMMING POOL WATER IN BENIN CITY, NIGERIA

Abstract

Swimming pools are man-made recreational water bodies.  These water bodies are supposed to be hygienic   but due to human activities, they have been considered as sources of infections. The objective of this study was to ascertain the bacterial isolates found in some swimming pools in Benin City. Five swimming pools in Benin City identified as A, B, C, D and E were studied. A total of 15 samples (three from each pool) were collected in duplicates before and after the maximum bather’s load, and after the water change. Samples were analysed bacteriologically using standard methods. A total of 51 organisms were isolated with Staphylococcus epidermidis having a prevalence of 27.5 %/, Escherichia coli; 15.7 %, Staphylococcus aureus; 15.7 %, Enterobacter aerugenes; 13.7 %, Klebsiella aerogenes; 13.7 %, Pseudomonas aeruginosa; 5.9 %, Klebsiella pneumonia; 3.2% and Streptococcus faecalis; 3.2%. The mean viable colony counts of 1.60x 10² /ml, 7.33 x 10² /ml, 9.00 x 10² /ml, 1.60 x 10² /ml and 7.30 x 10² /ml at 37 ^oC were obtained from A, B, C, D and E pools respectively.  It was observed that water from swimming pools B, C and E were contaminated with mean viable counts exceeding the recommended 200 colony counts/ml and detection of Escherichia coli in 100 ml. The high bacterial load and the isolation of pathogenic bacteria from the pools demonstrate the need for pool health authorities to improve surveillance, improve pool decontamination standards, and educate swimmers on hygiene before entering pools. This study emphasis the need for proper hygienic maintenance of swimming pools and the need for a bacteriological standard to be drawn up for swimming pools in Nigeria.