How clean is your surf spot ?
Diseases you can encounter in
Europe due to pollution.
Is it really that Bad?
Dr Guillaume Barucq,
M.D.
EASD Surfing Medicine
Conference 2015

What is Marine Pollution
?

Marine Debris
(visible)

Chemical Pollution
(visible or invisible)

Radioactive Pollution
(invisible)

Microbiological Pollution
 Bacterias, virus, fungus, parasites…
(invisible)

When does marine
pollution occur ?

When there is no
sanitation system
 Video

When the sewage
overflows
 Video

When the rivers flood
 VIDEO

In case of heavy rain
Urban Run-Off (fuel, oil…)
Leaching of soils
(fertilizers, pesticides)

WHAT ARE THE HEALTH
RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH
SEAWATER POLLUTION ?

Context
 Few research available about infectious
diseases among surfers.
 1 Retrospective study (Surfrider Europe)
 Existing publications about bathing or
swimming-related diseases that can hardly
apply to surfing.

Surf Infection Study (G.Barucq 2012-2013)
 Goal : follow the evolution of the number of infections
related to water quality and the type of nautical activity
practised.
 Interesting if several surfers contract the same symptoms
after surfing in the same surf spot, the same day.
 Method : online survey launched in June 2012.
 Quick and easy-to-fill questionnaire.

Results
 166 exploitable answers between June 2012
and October 2013.
 35% of the declarations registered during the
highly polluted month of June 2012.
 95% of the declarations from the south-west of
France (Bask Coast, Landes +++). And also
declarations from Reunion Island, NYC,
Canada…

Nautical Activity Practised
 Surfing / Shortboard (38%)
 Bathing / Swimming (27%)
 Longboarding (23%)
 Bodyboarding (5%)
 Bodysurfing (4%)
 Stand-Up Paddle (2%)
 Kitesurfing /Windsurfing (1%)

Top 10 Symptoms of Surf Infection
 1. Earache
 2. Fever
 3. Abdominal Pain
 4. Diarrhea
 5. Red eye
 6. Nausea /Vomiting
 7. Headache
 8. Skin Rash
 9. Sore throat
 10. Itching

Time of occurrence of the symptoms
after suspected bath / surf session.
 Less than 24 hours (36%)
 Between 1 and 3 days (30%)
 Less than 6 hours (26%)
 Between 3 and 7 days (6%)

Did the Seawater look polluted ?
 Dubious visual appearance (27%)
 Marine litter visualized (19%)
 Recent pollution (18%)
 No obvious sign of pollution (16%)
 Bad smell (12%)
 Bad results of recent seawater analysis (8%)

General Condition before infection
New question added to the questionnaire : are you a
regular surfer or an occasional surfer ?
 In good form : 86%
 Tired / Stressed (14%)

Most diagnosed Infections
 Gastro-enteritis (18%)
 Otitis (18%) : External +++ (=swimmer’s ear)
 Conjunctivitis / ocular infection (16%)
 Skin Infections (10%)*
 Naso-pharyngitis (7%)
 Sinusitis (6%)
*Several staphylococcal infections declared (impetigo, carbuncle,
infected cut, sty…)

How long should you wait after it rains ?
It depends !

Factors which impact Ocean’s
resilience to Pollution
• Volume of water polluted
• Water Temperature
• Salinity
• UV Rays
• Wind
• Rain
• Swell
• Waves
• Currents (horizontal, vertical, upwelling)
• Underwater Waves
• Ocean’s Microbiota

Information on Water
Quality

Seawater Analysis

Analysis Results
(Regional Health Agency)

Analysis Results
(Surfrider Foundation / Nautical Activities Zones)

WATER QUALITY INFORMATION ON THE BEACH

Most of the time, Water
Analysis are informations
from the past.
What we need is real-time
info on water quality.

Rapid Analysis GenSpot
Bacteriological Analysis :
 Sample Preparation < 2h
 RT-PCR (polymerase chain reaction): 1 h
Active Management of the Environment
REAL-TIME MONITORING : Control & Alert

Sample
Preparation
2. Lysis
3. RNA Extraction and purification
RT- PCR
Real-Time
1h
1. Filtration
< 2h
4. RNA Quantification
GenSpot : Decision Support Tool

1
10
100
1000
10000
0 20 40 60 80
temps (heures)
E.coli/100ml
J1 J2 J3
Conventional Method
ANSES Limit
E. Coli
Concentration
(/100ml)1
10
100
1000
10000
0 20 40 60 80
temps (heures)
E.coli/100ml
Baignade
Interdite
GenSpot
Conventional Method
500
Baignade
Autorisée
1000
48h 48h3h
Active Management of Seawater Pollution

Pollution Surf Report :
the next big thing !

VIDEO

BIARRITZ INFOPLAGES
(Smartphone App)

Prevention tips to avoid infection
 Avoid ingesting too much water per session
 Rinse yourself (skin, nasal cavities, ear canal +++)
 Dry yourself (skin, ears, remove
wetsuit/boardshort/bikini after surfing)
 Clean your nose with… seawater (spray)
 Do not surf with an open wound
 Beware with contact lenses (daily contact lens only)
 Wear earplugs
 Don’t surf if too sick or weakened by illness or treatment

 « The Microbe is Nothing.
TheTerrain is Everything.»
Louis Pasteur.

Take-home Messages
• Trust your senses (Watch, Smell and Taste the water)
• Search for the information (recent analysis, beach
classification…)
• Ask for more (local authorities, politician, became a water quality
activist…)
• Avoid surfing when water is polluted
• Surf More when water is clean !

Upcoming Research
• The Beach Bums Study
(Surfers against Sewage)
• Water Quality & Health
(Surfrider Foundation
Europe)
• New Surf Infection study.