Summer swimming is one of the best things. But there’s something most people don’t think about when they’re jumping off docks and splashing around — that water isn’t sterile. Not even close.
Natural bodies of water like lakes and rivers can contain germs that make you sick if you swallow them. That’s straight from the CDC. We’re talking bacteria, parasites, and other stuff that doesn’t show up on the surface but is absolutely floating around in there.
One of the more common culprits is Giardia, a parasite that can live in freshwater lakes — especially ones where beavers are present. Swallowing a mouthful while you’re doing laps or getting knocked over by a wave can expose you to it. The good news is Giardia is treatable if you catch it.
There’s also leptospirosis, a bacterial infection that spreads through freshwater when infected animals urinate near or into the water. Deer, rodents, dogs — they all drink from the same lakes and streams you’re swimming in. If you swallow contaminated water, you can develop fever, headache, or muscle aches. According to doctors at Wake Forest Baptist Health, leptospirosis usually can be treated — but you have to know what you’re dealing with first.
And then there’s the diarrhea-causing stuff. The CDC points out that when you swim in any natural body of water — lake, river, ocean — you can swallow germs that cause diarrhea. Not exactly what you want to think about mid-cannonball, but it’s real.
None of this means you shouldn’t swim. It means you should swim smart.
Keep your mouth closed when you go under. Don’t gulp water if a wave hits you. And if you already swallowed some and start feeling off — fever, stomach cramps, muscle aches — don’t just wait it out. Tell someone and get checked.
The water isn’t trying to kill you. But it’s not your friend either. Treat it like a wild place, because that’s exactly what it is.