Hotel Hot Tubs Contain Deadly Germs, Including Feces and Legionnaires' Disease Causing Bacteria

You might want to think twice before you set foot into a hotel hot tub. These hot tubs are found to contain germs and bacteria. (Photo : Wikimedia)

You might want to think twice before you set foot into a hotel hot tub. These hot tubs are found to contain germs and bacteria.

Two US experts are warning travelers that hotel hot tubs contain a host of disgusting and even dangerous creatures. Michele Hlavsa, an epidemiologist and chief of healthy swimming for the Centers for Disease Control of Prevention; and Charles Gerba, PhD, a professor of microbiology and environmental studies at The University of Arizona say that you may be picking up some bugs in the hot tub.

According to the Huffington Post, the warm temperature of the hot tub makes keeping disinfectants that kill germs at an effective level. One of the germs found in hot tubs is Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which can cause an infection called Pseudomonas folliculitis or hot tub rash. Pseudomonas aeruginosa are able to multiply in the water when the disinfectant levels drop and can remain in the water until the levels increase again.

"People tend to sit in hot tubs for a while, so their skin is exposed to contaminated water for a while," Hiavsa told the Post. The hot tub rash starts off as itching and spots that develop into rash and can also include pus-filled blisters around hair follicles.

Another illness that can be picked up in hot tubs is Legionnaires' disease, which can be fatal. This type of pneumonia can be caused by the germ Legionella, which is found in warm water and can simply be contracted by breathing in the steam from  hot tubs.

Humans can also bring in their own germs into the hot tub. "The average bather has about a tenth of a gram of feces in his gluteal fold, which is a nice way of saying butt crack,"  Gerba told the Huffington Post. He further explained that with five people, "you have a tablespoon of poop in the hot tub."

The irritant called chloramine is also created when human urine and sweat mix. Chloramine can sting eyes and irritate the respiratory tract.

In order to reduce some of these germs, the CDC recommends having hot tubs with smooth tiles, no odor and a temperature that doesn't go higher than 40 degrees C. They also suggest that people bathe before getting into the hot tub so products like makeup and sun lotion don't take up the disinfectant so it can focus on germs. Also, never get the water in your mouth.