Study Links E. Coli Levels in Natural Waters to Stomach Illness

A study of 2,368 volunteers found that swimmers exposed to higher levels of E. coli in freshwater had a 73% higher risk of developing stomach illness.

The research, published in the International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, suggests that intestinal enterococci, the current WHO standard, showed no connection to stomach illness.

While E. coli levels predicted stomach issues, skin ailments were linked only to the act of swimming itself, with swimmers facing double the risk of rashes compared to non-swimmers.