
Wild swimming linked to higher GI illness and skin-rash risk, study finds
A large controlled study in Hungary with 2,368 participants found wild swimming in rivers and lakes increases the risk of skin rashes (more than twice as likely) and is associated with higher rates of gastrointestinal illness when water contains more E. coli and somatic coliphages; skin irritation causes remain unclear and are not linked to fecal indicators. The study argues E. coli should remain part of freshwater monitoring, aligning with German data and potentially affecting UK guidelines, though results come from a single trial day per site.







