If you swim in warm OW- PLEASE READ!!

[Running Mommy]

Over on tri newbies they had a thread about a warning Disney was putting out about the swim portion of a tri they held this past weekend. Apparently there is an ameoba that thrives in warm lakes (80+ degrees I think). If this ameoba goes up your nose you can catch a nasty menegitis (sp?) and will be dead in a matter of days.
A link to the health dept warnings was put on it, and it sounded scary. But I thought to myself "They are just covering their butts. If it was THAT bad they would cancel the swim"...
And then I came across this thread on slowtwitch.

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=1473695;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread

Very sad, very scary stuff. The last thing I want to worry about when jumping in the water at my next race is this. But I wasn't even aware of this sort of thing, so I wanted you all to be aware as well. It sounds like nose plugs help, but personally I don't think I'd even take the chance to swim if I thought I might contract this horrible killer... Call me an alarmist, but I kinda like my life- alive and all...
Ya'll be safe out there!
Denise

[Tri Girl]

We'd heard that too and a microbiologist that is in our tri club said the really important thing is that it thrives in stagnant water. If the lake has mobility (like our lakes around here are always choppy due to wind), or if it has a current to it- you don't need to worry. It's just really warm, still water that is the problem.

Still scary, tho, huh?

[light_sabe_r]

Every body of open water has some danger to it.

The Amoeba is more common than you think. Can't remember the name of it but we studied it in Parisitology and it widespread down here in fresh stagnent water bodies... (Not that there's many of THOSE left...) It can cause encephilitis which will muck your brain up... then will either put you in a coma or kill you.

In short... Don't swallow the water and you'll be fine. Just do what you do in the pool.

We've got BULL SHARKS, JELLY FISH, and SEA LICE to contend with in our open swims... LUCKILY the worst thing I've seen happen so far is one of my mates getting tangled in Seaweed at the luke Harrop tri. :D

[Pedal Wench]

CNN is covering this story. It sounded like an urban myth, but it's the real deal.:(

[Blueberry]

Wow! I just did some Google searching and discovered that a kid died here (NC) from it. From a lake that is fairly large (and happens to be Raleigh's drinking water supply).

Time for nose plugs....apparently this thing can only attack when water goes way up your nose from a jump or a dive (or so says the state of NC - http://www.ils.unc.edu/parkproject/parknews/releases/7_31.html)

CA

[Ladyrunner]

Great! Just when I got over my fear of dirty open water.

Thanks for letting us know!!

[DebW]

Time for nose plugs....apparently this thing can only attack when water goes way up your nose from a jump or a dive (or so says the state of NC - http://www.ils.unc.edu/parkproject/parknews/releases/7_31.html)

CA

No kayak rolling in stagnant water. The hanging upside down can get the water way up there. I always use a noseplug for practice rolls.

[mimitabby]

hey, do your tri's up here. the water's ALWAYS cold!

[Blueberry]

No kayak rolling in stagnant water. The hanging upside down can get the water way up there. I always use a noseplug for practice rolls.

Yeah - I was thinking about that - we just bought kayaks so we're a long way from being that advanced in our skills, but the thought did cross my mind.

CA

[Running Mommy]

Ray, the father or the Austin boy who died emailed me this and asked that I post it for him. I think that is the least I could do! :(
So here it is, a press release regarding this situation...

LCRA SIGNS AND FLIERS TO EDUCATE PUBLIC

ON PROTECTION AGAINST WATER ILLNESSES, INJURIES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: SEPT. 18, 2007

CONTACT: KRISTA UMSCHEID, 1-800-776-5272, EXT. 3365

LCRA MEDIA PHONE FOR AFTER-HOURS EMERGENCIES: (512) 944-6719

AUSTIN - LCRA IS CONTINUING EFFORTS TO EDUCATE VISITORS TO AREA LAKES ON HOW TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AGAINST THE RISK OF WATER-RELATED ILLNESSES AND INJURIES.

LCRA IS PRODUCING SIGNS THAT PROVIDE SAFETY TIPS AND REMIND LAKE VISITORS OF THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH NATURAL WATER RECREATION. THE SIGNS WILL BE INSTALLED WITHIN THE WEEK IN LCRA PARKS AT PUBLIC-ACCESS POINTS TO LAKES BUCHANAN, INKS, LBJ, MARBLE FALLS, TRAVIS, BASTROP AND FAYETTE.

LCRA ALSO WILL PROVIDE FLIERS ON WATER SAFETY TO LAKE-AREA BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITIES FOR THEIR USE.

THE SIGNS AND FLIERS NOTE THAT RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN THE HIGHLAND LAKES AND OTHER NATURAL WATER BODIES SUCH AS RIVERS, LAKES AND CREEKS POSES RISKS, INCLUDING DROWNING, BOAT ACCIDENTS AND ILLNESSES FROM BACTERIA AND AMEBAE.

THE SIGNS AND FLIERS INCLUDE TIPS TO MINIMIZE THE RISK OF SUCH ILLNESSES AND INJURIES, INCLUDING:

* USE NOSE CLIPS OR HOLD YOUR NOSE WHEN JUMPING OR DIVING INTO WATER.

* USE EARPLUGS, GOGGLES OR MASKS TO MINIMIZE RISK OF EAR OR EYE INFECTIONS.

* WASH OPEN SKIN CUTS AND SCRAPES WITH CLEAN WATER AND SOAP.

* WEAR A LIFE JACKET, ESPECIALLY IF YOU CAN'T SWIM, AND PUT LIFE JACKETS ON CHILDREN.

* DON'T DIVE INTO SHALLOW WATER.

* ALWAYS SWIM WITH A PARTNER.

LCRA ALSO HAS POSTED INFORMATION ON ITS WEB SITE AT WWW.LCRA.ORG <HTTP://WWW.LCRA.ORG/>. LOOK FOR THE GREEN BANNER, "SAFE SWIMMING IN LAKES AND RIVERS."

LCRA HAS ISSUED SUCH SAFETY INFORMATION FOR YEARS IN DISCUSSING RECREATIONAL CONDITIONS WITH HIGHLAND LAKES VISITORS. INTEREST IN THE SAFETY INFORMATION HAS BEEN HEIGHTENED BY THE AUG. 13 DEATH OF A LAKE LBJ VISITOR FROM PRIMARY AMEBIC MENINGOENCEPHALITIS (PAM). A SECOND POSSIBLE PAM-RELATED DEATH OF ANOTHER LAKE LBJ VISITOR IN LATE AUGUST IS BEING INVESTIGATED BY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES (TDSHS).

ALTHOUGH THE AMEBA THAT CAUSES THE DISEASE IS COMMON TO ALMOST ALL LAKES, PONDS, RIVERS CREEKS AND OTHER BODIES OF FRESHWATER, THE DISEASE IS VERY RARE. IT IS USUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH WATER THAT IS 80 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT OR WARMER. INFECTION IS BELIEVED TO OCCUR WHEN WATER CONTAINING THE MICROORGANISM IS FORCED INTO THE NASAL PASSAGES, USUALLY WHEN SKIING OR DIVING OR JUMPING INTO THE WATER.

TDSHS, THE AUTHORITY ON HEALTH ISSUES IN THE STATE, HAS THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR INVESTIGATION OF THIS ILLNESS. LCRA IS WORKING WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT STAFF AS THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.

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