Bacteria On Cruise Ships

The CDC reported in its 2002 year-end review that the cruise ship outbreaks of that year demonstrated just how easily norovirus is transmitted from person to person in a closed environment.

Bacteria on cruise ships. Cruise ships are able to achieve those low bacteria levels because they have advanced treatment systems onboard. In a recent cluster of gastrointestinal illnesses on a cruise ship sailing from Tenerife to the US salmonella was identified as the likely culprit. Cruise ships are often described as floating cities and their waste management is no different than a small municipality.

But realize that in the semi-confined quarters of a cruise ship contagious illnesses can spread fast particularly noroviruses. People often associate cruise ships with acute gastrointestinal illnesses such as norovirus but acute gastrointestinal illness is relatively infrequent on cruise ships. Outbreaks of gastrointestinal disease occur on cruise ships at a rate of approximately 1 to 6 outbreaks per 1000 cruises and the estimated likelihood of contracting gastroenteritis on an average 7-day cruise is less than 1 25 26.

To trap viruses bacteria. Environmental impacts of cruise ships. Globally the cruise industry has already invested 1 billion in new technologies and cleaner fuels to significantly reduce ships.

These microbes are commonly reported within this environment with multiple studies finding evidence of the bacteria in elevators toilets and seating spaces. Cruise ships can act as an incubator for bacteria such as Escherichia coli Salmonella spp. GI outbreaks on cruise ships from food and water sources have also been associated with Salmonella spp enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli Shigella spp Clostridium perfringens and Cyclospora cayetanensis.

Cruise ships are a hotbed of bacteria and potential illnesses but the deadliest may be Legionnaires Disease an infection caused by Legionella organisms that leads to severe pneumonia. To protect themselves from infections and reduce the spread of GI illnesses on cruise ships passengers should be counseled on the following. Black Watch ship prompting the cruise to end early.

With cruise ship outbreaks regularly appearing in the news awareness of Norovirus -- an extremely common and highly contagious virus that causes gastroenteritis -- has been significantly raised. With thousands of people onboard a ship there is a need for a sophisticated approach to managing where everything goes once people are done with it from human waste to recycling to leftover food. The symptoms seem to suggest norovirus a highly contagious condition that has been responsible for gastrointestinal cruise ship outbreaks in the past.