A public hot tub on a cruise ship may make some people sick, but paying for a private spa may not actually reduce your exposure to dangerous water-living pathogens. .
New report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warn Hot tubs located on the balconies of cruise ship cabins can pose an even greater risk of spreading disease, not only to those using the hot tub, but also to those who inhale the steam.
Private hot tubs on cruise ships are the “likely source” of two recent outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease in the United States, according to a recent study. Legionnaires’ disease is a serious lung infection that is spread through vapor and can cause infection. life-threatening pneumoniaThis is especially true among the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.
Between 2022 and 2024, the CDC tallied 12 cases of Legionnaires’ disease on just two cruise ships. Ten of the cases were serious and required hospitalization. There were eight cases on one cruise ship alone, making it the largest outbreak on a single ship investigated by the CDC since 2008.
For decades, scientists connected hot tub An outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease occurred on a cruise ship. The temperature of the water is Just right for legionella bacteria This means that if you don’t drain, clean, and perchlorate your bathtub between uses, there’s a good chance that germs will grow.
However, unlike public hot tubs on cruise ships, current CDC guidelines do not require private hot tubs to be cleaned or operated with the same rigor.
These latest Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks show why that is wrong.
Because private hot tubs are often installed on balconies, steam and droplets from the heated pool can easily slip into the lungs of unsuspecting neighbors, including those above and below, carrying pathogens.
The first outbreak was recorded in December 2022, when five people aboard a cruise ship contracted pneumonia in November. But when authorities sampled the cabin, heat exchangers, drinking water tanks, decorative fountains and public hot tubs, they found no trace. legionella bacteria Bacteria.
The following August, two more cases of Legionnaires’ disease were reported among passengers on the same ship, this time among travelers who had their own hot tubs.
Only then did CDC officials request that all 10 private balcony hot tubs on the ship be closed and samples taken. Six of the bathtubs are legionella bacteria Four of them had very high concentrations.
“The hot tub remained closed until operational and maintenance procedures were changed to make it undetectable. legionella bacteria We have received the sampling results,” a CDC official said. write.
However, another cruise ship passenger contracted Legionnaires’ disease after spending time at sea in March, even though sample tests did not detect the bacteria.
Back in 2024, four additional confirmed cases were reported to the CDC from another ship.
This time, the CDC requested: all Hot tubs on cruises, private and public alike, will be immediately closed and tastings will take place. LEzionella pneumophila The species was detected in all eight of the ship’s private balcony hot tubs.
Fortunately, there were no deaths in either of these outbreaks, but if CDC officials are correct and private hot tubs were the source of infection, current government guidelines would prevent future illnesses. It is not enough to prevent it and needs to be updated.
“Adapting public hot tub maintenance and operating protocols for use in private outdoor hot tubs can reduce the risk of infection. legionella bacteria Growth and Communication” conclusion Official report.
You can view the CDC report here here.
