Nashville, TN – Taking a refreshing dip in a pool, lake or stream is a great way to beat the summer heat. However, recreational water can hold germs that can make people sick. The Tennessee Department of Health is sharing simple tips to help all Tennesseans stay safe and healthy when swimming this summer.

“Swimming is a great way to exercise, and offers numerous health benefits,” said Health Commissioner Susan R. Cooper, MSN, RN. “We want to remind everyone to take common sense precautions to protect their families from illnesses that can be spread in water and help keep swimming fun and healthy.”

Recreational Water Illnesses, or RWIs, are caused by germs that are spread by swallowing or having other contact with contaminated water in places such as swimming pools, water parks, hot tubs, interactive fountains, lakes, rivers, springs, ponds or oceans. RWIs cause several types of symptoms, including gastrointestinal, skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic and wound infections. The most commonly reported RWI is diarrhea. Even healthy swimmers can get sick from RWIs, but the young, elderly, pregnant women and those with weakened immune systems are especially at risk.

“When swimming in treated water such as a pool or water park, keep in mind that germs on and in swimmers’ bodies end up in the water and can make other people sick,” said State Epidemiologist Tim F. Jones, MD. “The best way to prevent RWIs is to keep germs out of the pool in the first place.”

Tennesseans can help keep our swimming destinations safe by following these healthy swimming steps.

• Wash your child thoroughly (especially the rear end) with soap and water before swimming. Invisible amounts of fecal matter can end up in the pool.
• Don’t swim if you have diarrhea.
• Practice good hygiene. Shower with soap before swimming and wash your hands after using the toilet or changing diapers.
• Take children on frequent bathroom breaks and/or check diapers often. Change diapers in a bathroom or diaper-changing area, not at poolside.

Bodies of water such as lakes, rivers and streams often contain some degree of bacteria. When swimming in streams, lakes or ponds, swim only in water that is not stagnant, has no significant algae or foam and is not polluted by livestock or waterfowl. Avoid swimming after heavy rainfalls or in areas identified as unsafe by TDOH or the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. TDEC provides a list of water advisories online.

Illnesses and outbreaks associated with recreational water vary from year to year. In 2010, there were no outbreaks caused by recreational water reported in Tennessee. Nationwide, illness caused by cryptosporidium and other waterborne pathogens such as E. coli and Norwalk-like viruses has been on the rise.

Regardless of the type of water you are swimming in, try not to swallow the water. Even treated water can still contain pathogens. If symptoms of gastrointestinal distress occur within a few days of swimming, contact your health care provider and consider having your stool tested for pathogens. Any illness or outbreak that is possibly caused by exposure to recreational water should be reported to your local health department.

For more information about healthy swimming, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Healthy Swimming website at
www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/, or the Environmental Protection Agency’s beaches website www.epa.gov/beaches.

The affected products are sold in veterinary clinics and specialty pet retailers throughout the United States and Canada. No canned food, biscuits/treats or supplements are affected by this announcement. A full listing of UPC codes can be found at www.iams.com.

P&G Expands Voluntary Limited Recall of Specialized Dry Pet Foods Due to Possible Health Risk. (P&G Pet Care)

These products are made in a single, specialized facility. In cooperation with FDA, P&G determined that some products made at this facility have the potential for salmonella contamination. As a precautionary measure, P&G is recalling all products made at this facility.

Consumers who have purchased the specific dry pet foods listed should discard them. People handling dry pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product. Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

The following dry pet food products are included:

Pets with Salmonella infections may have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, pets may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

For further information or a product replacement or refund call P&G toll-free at 877-340-8823 (Monday – Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00pm est).

About Procter & Gamble

Four billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Gain®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun® and Fusion®.

The P&G community includes approximately 135,000 employees working in about 80 countries worldwide. Please visit www.pg.com/ for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

NASHVILLE – Emergency preparedness for families involves stocking supplies and making plans for coping with a crisis situation. Those plans should also include breastfeeding for infants. The Tennessee Department of Health is working to raise awareness of breastfeeding as a crucial practice during emergencies as part of the observance of World Breastfeeding Week, August 1-7, 2009.

The theme of World Breastfeeding Week 2009 is “Breastfeeding – A Vital Emergency Response. Are You Ready?” This theme highlights the need to protect, promote and support breastfeeding in emergencies for the survival, health and development of infants and young children.

“Children are among the most vulnerable groups during emergencies, and small children are the most vulnerable of all due to increased risk of death due to diarrhea and pneumonia,” said Glenda King, breastfeeding coordinator for the Tennessee Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. “Breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways to ensure child health and survival.”

As part of emergency preparedness, hospitals and other health care services should have trained health workers who can help mothers establish breastfeeding to help overcome difficulties associated with a lack of clean and sanitary water, food and surroundings. During emergencies, unsolicited or uncontrolled donations of breast milk substitutes or infant formulas may undermine breastfeeding and should be avoided.

Breastfeeding is the best way to provide newborn infants with the nutrients they need. The American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization and other health professional agencies actively promote breastfeeding as the best source of nourishment for infants and young children. In Tennessee, health department data show 60 percent of mothers breastfeed while in the hospital after delivery.

Breastfeeding is beneficial to both mother and child. While the mother’s milk is healthy and easy to digest, it also supplies antibodies that protect infants from infections. For the mother, breastfeeding improves milk production, lessens her loss of blood, and lowers her risk for breast and ovarian cancers as well as tightening the uterus after child birth.

Tennessee health officials and lawmakers actively support breastfeeding mothers. Tennessee passed a law in 2006 protecting a mother’s right to breastfeed a child 12 months or younger in any location, public or private, where the mother and child are authorized to be present; prohibiting local governments from criminalizing or restricting breastfeeding; and requiring employers in Tennessee to accommodate breastfeeding mothers at work. The Tennessee Department of Health and WIC program, along with hospitals and health providers, stress that workplaces and communities can work together to protect this important practice by establishing a breastfeeding-friendly environment.

Each of Tennessee’s local health departments has a breastfeeding advocate who can answer questions. You may find a list of county health department locations online at http://health.state.tn.us/localdepartments.htm.

World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated each year from August 1 through 7 in more than 120 countries to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. For more information about this health observance, visit http://worldbreastfeedingweek.org/.