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At least 1,063 records · Page 59Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Soil amoebas as biological markers to estimate the quality of swimming pool waters.

The legal biological survey of swimming pool waters is based on both the level of bacteriological contamination and the amount of material of fecal origin. The great number of soil amoebas and the occasional epidemiological risk involved led us to consider using these organisms as possible biological markers to estimate the quality of pool water and the extent of disinfection. During a 1-year survey of 54 public swimming pools, 765 superficial pool and tap water samples were collected. One portion (50 ml) drawn from 1-liter samples was filtered and cultured for amoebas. In specimens considered contaminated we detected at least 20 amoebas per liter, whereas uncontaminated samples contained fewer than 20 amoebas per liter. By keeping the threshold value voluntarily low, we were able to compare tap water with pool water and to monitor the quality of various disinfection procedures (i.e., chlorine, bromine, and Cu-Ag). The data suggest that the filters were not always protective against a high concentration of amoebas. Furthermore, these disinfection procedures were not equally efficient according to estimates based on biological criteria. In addition, the quality of swimming pool water also depends on the quality of its source tap water. Thus, the numeration of soil amoebas can be used as an additional biological marker to estimate the quality of swimming pool water.

Amoeba↗
PubMed1969

Pseudomonas aeruginosa for the evaluation of swimming pool chlorination and algicides.

Concentrations of ammonia and the chlorine stabilizer, cyanuric acid, which could be expected in swimming pools decreased the rate of kill by chlorine of the potential pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The effect of cyanuric acid increased as the concentration of chlorine decreased, a fact of significance from a public health view. Quaternary ammonium algcides had little effect on the kill rate of chlorine, but an organic mercury algicide had a synergistic effect with chlorine when the chlorine activity was stressed by the addition of ammonia or the use of 100 times the normal concentration of bacteria. The effect of natural waters, rain, beaches, and swimming pools on the kill rate by 0.5 mg of chlorine per liter indicated that a treatment time of 1 hr or more was required to kill 99.9% of 10(6)Pseudomonas cells per ml. The synergism of chlorine and the organic mercury algicide was also demonstrated with these waters and with sewage treatment plant effluents. The necessity of developing and using laboratory tests which simulate conditions in swimming pools with heavy loads of swimmers, as opposed to tests in chlorine demand-free conditions, is discussed. Samples taken from well-supervised swimming pools when the swimmer load had been especially high required treatment times of 1 to 3 hr to obtain 99.9% kills of the potential pathogen, P. aeruginosa, with 0.5 mg of chlorine per liter.

Ammonia↗
PubMed1976

Effects of swimming training on children with asthma.

In a programme to examine the effect of 5 months of swimming training on school-children with asthma, 46 children swam a total distance of 3608 km (2242 miles) during 2806 training sessions. On post-training re-examination, nonspecific effects of physical conditioning were detected including improved posture and fitness, reduced fat folds, and enhanced swimming ability. Continuous monitoring of asthma and medication showed significant decreases in both parameters during the final phases of the study between children who continued to swim regularly and those who did not. The frequency and severity of exercise-induced asthma (after running) was unchanged by swimming training. Post-training questionnaires indicated a high degree of enthusiasm and acceptance of the programme by children and parents. No significant adverse effects were observed or reported during the study.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Influence of time of day on all-out swimming.

The effect of time of day on all-out swim performances was examined. Fourteen subjects performed maximal front crawl swim tests on separate days over 100 m. and 400 m. at 5 different times of day between 06.30 h. and 22.00 h. Performance showed a significant linear trend with time of day in close though not exact association with the circadian rhythm in oral temperature: a goodness of fit test confirmed that the values predicted from linear trend analysis coincided with the measured values (p less than 0.05). The steady improvement throughout the day was 3.5% for 100 m. and 2.5% for 400 m. swims. Trunk flexibility displayed a time of day variation with a trough in the morning and a peak in the afternoon. No significant rhythm was observed in ankle and shoulder flexibility, grip strength or peak expiratory flow rate (p greater than 0.05). It was concluded that maximal swimming trials are best scheduled for the evening and worst in the early morning. Specific fitness factors cannot clearly account for the higher exercise capability in the evening which is strongly related to the circadian curve in body temperature.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Muscle power predicts freestyle swimming performance.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between non-invasive laboratory measures of 'muscle power' and swim performance over sprint (50 m) and middle-distance (400 m) events. Twenty-two swimmers performed an upper and lower body Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAT) and a maximal sustained power output test (MPO) for the upper body. Peak power (PP) and mean power (MP) were determined for the WAT, while peak sustained workload (WLpeak) was determined for the MPO. Timed swims over 50 m and 400 m were undertaken by all swimmers during which the number of arm strokes per length was recorded. Highly significant relationships were found between sprint-swim speed (S50) and mean power of the arms (MP(arms)) (r = 0.63, P less than 0.01), between S50 and mean power of the legs (MP(legs)) (r = 0.76, P less than 0.001) and between S50 and the distance covered with each arm stroke (DS) (r = 0.91, P less than 0.001). Multiple regression analyses revealed that WAT power indices for the legs did not significantly increase explained variance in S50 above that of the arms. The relationship between WL(peak) and S400 was highly significant (r = 0.70, P less than 0.001) and indicates the importance of arm power in the longer distance swim events.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Respiratory symptoms and bronchial responsiveness in lifeguards exposed to nitrogen trichloride in indoor swimming pools.

OBJECTIVES: To measure the levels of exposure to nitrogen trichloride (NCl3) in the atmosphere of indoor swimming pools and to examine how they relate to irritant and chronic respiratory symptoms, indices of pulmonary function, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine in lifeguards working in the pools. METHOD: 334 lifeguards (256 men; 78 women) recruited from 46 public swimming pools (n = 228) and 17 leisure centre swimming pools (n = 106) were examined. Concentrations of NCl3 were measured with area samplers. Symptoms were assessed by questionnaire and methacholine bronchial challenge (MBC) test by an abbreviated method. Subjects were labelled MBC+ if forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) fell by > or = 20%. The linear dose-response slope was calculated as the percentage fall in FEV1 at the last dose divided by the total dose given. RESULTS: 1262 samples were taken in the 63 pools. Mean NCl3 concentrations were greater in leisure than in public pools. A significant concentration-response relation was found between irritant eye, nasal, and throat symptoms-but not chronic respiratory symptoms-and exposure concentrations. Among women, the prevalence of MBC+ was twice as great as in men. Overall, no relation was found between bronchial hyperresponsiveness and exposure. CONCLUSIONS: The data show that lifeguards exposed to NCl3 in indoor swimming pools are at risk of developing irritant eye, nasal, and throat symptoms. Exposure to NCl3 does not seem to carry the risk of developing permanent bronchial hyperresponsiveness, but this association might have been influenced by self selection. The possibility that subjects exposed to NCl3 are at risk of developing transient bronchial hyperresponsiveness cannot be confidently ruled out.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Influence of swim training on cardiac activity, tissue capillarization, and mitochondrial density in muscle tissue of zebrafish larvae.

Larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) of two different age classes ("swim-up" larvae, 9 days old; "free-swimming" larvae, 21 days old) were exposed to either an endurance/continuous training or interval training. Control animals were kept in stagnant water. A comparison of cardiac activity of trained (either endurance or interval) and untrained animals at the end of the training regime revealed no differences in heart rate, end-diastolic and end-systolic ventricular volume, and cardiac output. Training also had no influence on the concentration of erythrocytes in the blood. Thus, at the level of total oxygen transport in the blood, training did not provoke any improvement during the first 32 days of development. Significant changes, however, were observed at the tissue level. In free-swimming larvae [i.e., between 21 and 32 days postfertilization (dpf)] endurance training increased the capillarization of both axial muscle caudal to the anus and the tail fin. In addition, mitochondrial density of red and intermediate muscle fibers increased significantly. In contrast to capillarization, even swim-up larvae, trained between 9 and 15 dpf, were affected. The observed increase in mitochondrial content indicates a high demand for oxygen and energy-rich metabolites for oxidative phosphorylation. In older larvae, this is met by the increase in capillarization that improves the blood supply and with it the required oxygen and metabolite supply of muscle tissue. Both of these adaptational changes result in a reduction of diffusion distances (between capillary and muscle fiber as well as mitochondria) and may contribute to a higher resistance toward oxygen deficiency. Furthermore, this study indicates that plasticity of muscle tissue is already established in early stages of development at both the tissue and cellular levels.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

An adjustable-current swimming pool for the evaluation of endurance capacity of mice.

A new forced-swimming apparatus for determining maximum swimming time in mice was devised for use in the evaluation of the endurance capacity of Std and ddY and CDF1 mice after various diet and drug treatments. With the apparatus, a water current is generated by circulating water with a pump in a swimming pool. A spout and suction slit were contrived to generate a constant current while the strength of the current is regulated by a valve. The decrease in the leg-kicking intervals of mice accompanying the increase in the current speed confirmed that the workload is adjustable by regulation of the current speed. Compared with the number of forelimb strokes, that of the hindlimb kicks was greater. The swimming time until fatigue was observed to decrease with increasing current speed in the two strains of mice. As biochemical indexes, the blood lactate and muscle glycogen levels corroborated the correlation between current speed and increase in workload. These results indicate that the apparatus employed in the present study is suitable for the evaluation of the endurance capacity of mice and that is useful for detecting the effects of dietary differences and drug pretreatments on this capacity.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Fictive swimming motor patterns in wild type and mutant larval zebrafish.

Larval zebrafish provide a unique model for investigating the mechanisms involved in generating rhythmic patterns of behavior, such as swimming, due to the array of techniques available including genetics, optical imaging, and conventional electrophysiology. Because electrophysiological and imaging studies of rhythmic motor behaviors in paralyzed preparations depend on the ability to monitor the central motor pattern, we developed a fictive preparation in which the activity of axial motor neurons was monitored using extracellular recordings from peripheral nerves. We examined spontaneous and light induced fictive motor patterns in wild type and mutant larval zebrafish (4-6 days post-fertilization) paralyzed with curare. All spontaneous and light-induced preparations produced alternation of motor activity from side-to-side (mean contralateral phase = 50.7 +/- 7.0%; mean burst frequency = 35.6 +/- 4.7 Hz) and a progression of activity from head-to-tail (mean ipsilateral rostrocaudal delay = 0.8 +/- 0.5 ms per segment), consistent with lateral undulation and forward propulsion during swimming, respectively. The basic properties of the motor pattern were similar in spontaneous and light-induced swimming. This fictive preparation can be used in combination with conventional electrophysiological and imaging methods to investigate normal circuit function as well as to elucidate functional deficits in mutant lines. Toward this end, we show that two accordion class mutants, accordion and bandoneon, have alternating activity on opposite sides of the body, contradicting the hypothesis that their deficit results from the absence of the reciprocal glycinergic inhibition that is typically found in the spinal cord of swimming vertebrates.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1985

Intersegmental coordination of the leech swimming rhythm. I. Roles of cycle period gradient and coupling strength.

The isolated leech nervous system generates a metachronally coordinated rhythmic output that is the neuronal correlate of swimming activity. We investigated two factors that contribute to intersegmental coordination: the swim-cycle periods expressed by segmental ganglia and the strength of neuronal coupling between ganglia. To determine the regional variation in swim-cycle periods, we severed both of the lateral intersegmental connectives. We left intact the median connective, which conveys tonic excitation but little phasic information. We obtained a reduction in intersegmental coupling strength by severing a single lateral intersegmental connective. Cycle periods were manipulated by cooling restricted sections of the nerve cord. Our experiments revealed an anterior-posterior gradient of cycle periods in ganglia of the isolated nerve cord; that is, chains of ganglia obtained from the anterior nerve cord exhibited longer cycle periods than those obtained from the posterior end of the cord. This gradient extends posteriorly to approximately ganglion 12 and may reverse posterior to ganglion 13. Increasing local cycle periods by cooling restricted sections of the nerve cord caused delay in activity cycles in the cooled ganglia, relative to the cycles of ganglia at the control temperature. This finding demonstrates that the observed gradient in cycle period provides for smaller intersegmental phase lags than would occur if there were no period gradients. Reduction of coupling strength by severing a lateral connective led to altered phase relationships across the lesion, both at the motor and oscillator levels. For those ganglion chains in which the anterior ganglia had greater periods, the reduced coupling led to reduced or even reversed phase relationships across the lesion but left unchanged the phase lag between the ends of the chain. In contrast, reduced coupling between halves of a chain in which the posterior ganglia had greater cycle periods led to increased phase lags across the lesion and between the ends. These altered phase relationships arise from a relative increase in the contribution of period differences when coupling strength is decreased. We conclude that the anterior-to-posterior progression of neuronal activity in the isolated leech nerve cord during swimming activity is provided by the intersegmental coupling signals. Furthermore, the period gradient expressed in our preparations acts to provide for smaller phase lags than would be generated by these coupling signals in the absence of such a gradient.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Neural control of swimming in Aplysia brasiliana. II. Organization of pedal motoneurons and parapodial motor fields.

1. We have examined the locations and functional properties of a large number of motoneurons in the pedal ganglia of Aplysia brasiliana. These neurons control movement of the parapodia and body during swimming. We have grouped the motoneurons into classes based on several criteria, including the topology of the cells and their axons, the properties of their peripheral motor fields, and their phasic activity during an induced swim motor program. 2. A total of 410 motoneurons were analyzed. There are at least 16 distinguishable motor fields in the parapodia, based on the region affected, direction of contraction, and phase of neuronal activity during fictive swimming. 3. Motoneurons for each motor field tend to appear in the same region of the ganglion in different preparations. 4. Most motoneurons have only ipsilateral effects. About 1% cause contralateral contraction, and they project directly to the contralateral parapodium. 5. Three types of motoneuron are described that cause parapodial expansion. 6. Two other groups of motoneurons were found that innervate either the columellar muscle or longitudinal foot muscles. 7. Almost all motoneurons fired rhythmically during fictive swimming, including those controlling foot and columellar muscle.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

A role for potassium currents in the generation of the swimming motor pattern of Xenopus embryos.

1. To assess the role that K+ currents play in the production of the swimming motor pattern in the Xenopus embryo, we have used low doses of the K+ channel blockers, 3,4-diaminopyridine (3,4-DAP; 25-100 microM) and tetraethylammonium (TEA; 500 microM), to reduce K+ currents and investigated the effects on motor output. 2. To confirm that 3,4-DAP and TEA block K+ currents and characterize their actions, we made whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings from acutely isolated spinal neurons. Both 25-100 microM 3,4-DAP and 100-500 microM TEA blocked the sustained K+ current in a dose-dependent manner. 3. Because TEA can block acetylcholine nicotinic receptors on autonomic ganglia, and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors have recently been shown to be present on Xenopus spinal neurons, we have tested both 3,4-DAP and TEA for antagonist action against the nicotinic agonist 1,1-dimethyl-4-phenylpiperazinium (DMPP). Although 500 microM TEA blocked the DMPP-induced depolarization, 25 microM 3,4-DAP did not. 4. In the intact embryo, application of 25-100 microM 3,4-DAP or 500 microM TEA disrupted both the left and right alternation of ventral root discharge and the motor pattern recorded intracellularly from spinal neurons during swimming. Both blockers allowed the firing of an extra action potential at midcycle, which led to a number of different patterns. These patterns were categorized as follows: type A, cycles with midcycle action potentials; type B, the simultaneous firing of neurons on both sides of the cord; and type C, in which one side was active, whereas the other side was inhibited. In both 3,4-DAP and TEA these abnormalities tended to occur at the beginning of swimming episodes. Both blockers also caused a significant increase in the cycle period. Because both 3,4-DAP and TEA produced very similar affects to the motor pattern, we conclude that the perturbations are probably a result of reducing K+ current amplitude. 5. To investigate whether 3,4-DAP and TEA were producing disruptions in the motor pattern by increasing synaptic drive through the broadening of action potentials, we made measurements of spike width, tonic depolarization, and midcycle inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP) amplitude during swimming. Both 3,4-DAP and TEA caused significant but modest spike broadening (20.8 and 29.8%, respectively); however, their effects on tonic depolarization were inconsistent although both blockers increased midcycle IPSP amplitude. 6. To test whether a reduction in K+ currents could plausibly produce the specific motor pattern perturbations that were seen, we have made computer simulations of simplified spinal networks.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1995

Cholinergic and electrical motoneuron-to-motoneuron synapses contribute to on-cycle excitation during swimming in Xenopus embryos.

1. We have previously shown that Xenopus spinal motoneurons make both chemical and electrical synapses with neighboring motoneurons. Because motoneurons are active during swimming, these synapses would be expected to contribute excitation to their neighbors. The significance of central motoneuron to motoneuron synapses was therefore investigated by analyzing the composition of the fast on-cycle excitation underlying spiking activity during fictive swimming in spinal motoneurons. To accomplish this we developed a method for very local application of drugs around a caudal recorded neuron while still being able to evoke and record essentially unaltered fictive swimming rostrally. 2. Intracellular recordings were made from spinal motoneurons during fictive swimming. Bicuculline (40 microM) and strychnine (2 microM) were used continuously to block inhibitory potentials locally around the motoneurons. The amplitude and duration of the fast excitation underlying spiking activity was measured before and during local applications of excitatory antagonists. 3. The nicotinic antagonists d-tubocurarine (10 microM) and dihydro-beta-erythroidine (10 microM) reduced the amplitude of this excitation by approximately 20%. Nicotinic antagonists also reduced the duration of this fast on-cycle excitation. The kainate/alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) antagonist 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX, 10 microM) reduced the amplitude (by approximately 30%) but not the duration of the on-cycle excitation. In the presence of 100 microM Cd2+, which blocks all chemically mediated transmission, a considerable amount (50%) of on-cycle excitation remained. 4. These results suggest that 20% of the on-cycle excitation comes from activation of nicotinic receptors by naturally released acetylcholine (ACh), presumably from other motoneurons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione↗
PubMed1996

Cerebral serotonergic neurons reciprocally modulate swim and withdrawal neural networks in the mollusk Clione limacina.

1. A pair of serotonin-immunoreactive neurons has been identified in the cerebral ganglia of the pteropod mollusk Clione limacina, which produce coordinated, excitatory/inhibitory effects on neurons controlling two incompatible behaviors, swimming and whole body withdrawal. These cells were designated cerebral serotonergic ventral (Cr-SV) neurons. 2. Activation of Cr-SV neurons produces a prominent inhibition of the pleural withdrawal neurons, which have been previously shown to induce whole body withdrawal in Clione. In addition, the cerebral neurons produce weak excitatory inputs to swim motor neurons, pedal serotonergic neurons involved in the peripheral modulation of swimming, and to the serotonergic heart excitor neuron. 3. Inhibitory and excitatory effects appear to be produced by serotonin because they are mimicked by exogenous serotonin and are blocked by the serotonin antagonist mianserin. 4. All serotonergic neurons identified thus far in the CNS of Clione appear to function in a coordinated manner, altering a variety of neural centers all directed toward the activation of swimming behavior.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Functional analyses of the leech swim oscillator.

The oscillations that underlie swimming movements in the leech arise from a series of identified concatenated circuits within the ventral nerve cord. In the intact nerve cord, ascending and descending intersegmental interactions via axons within the lateral connectives function both to generate robust oscillations throughout the cord and to establish an anterior-to-posterior phase delay among segmental oscillators. We addressed two questions about this system. First, do the intrasegmental swim circuits in each ganglion function as a single oscillator or do they comprise a pair of coupled oscillators? Second, what are the relative strengths of the ascending and descending intersegmental interactions between the segmental oscillators? Experiments were carried out on semi-intact leeches (Hirudo medicinalis) and on isolated leech nerve cords in which "Z-cut" ganglia were generated by cutting one lateral connective nerve anterior and the contralateral connective nerve posterior to the target ganglion. In these Z-cut ganglia, all rhythmic ascending intersegmental input is conveyed via one lateral connective while rhythmic descending input is conveyed via the contralateral connective. We found that rhythmic bursting recorded from the left and right sides of Z-cut ganglia had identical cycle periods with no phase difference, despite strong intersegmental inputs with differing periods from the two swimming ends of the preparations. We conclude that the swim circuits within individual leech ganglia act as single units. Moreover, we determined through correlation and Fourier spectral analyses, that the functional strengths of ascending and descending intersegmental inputs to Z-cut ganglia located in the middle of the nerve cord are approximately equal.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Effect of training on the phagocytic capacity of peritoneal macrophages from rats exposed to swim stress.

Since strenuous effort may affect the immune system, a study was designed to examine the impact of the progressive training of rats exposed to swim stress. Rats (trained swimmers) were forced to swim daily in a water bath for progressively longer periods. At the end of the study, which continued for a total of 6 weeks, the superoxide anion generation and phagocytic capacity of peritoneal macrophages, the mitogen response of splenic cells (splenocytes) and the serum corticosterone level were examined. The results, compared to those of animals taken in and out of their cages (nonswimmers), showed an increase in superoxide anion generation, as well as a decrease in both the percentage of phagocytosing cells and the number of particles internalized by each individual cell. In trained swimmers, the mitogen response to phytohemagglutinin and concanavalin A (Con A), as well as the corticosterone level, did not change significantly from those of nonswimmers. A third group of animals were forced to swim once only for 30 min, until the appearance of signs of marked fatigue (acute swimmers). Their peritoneal macrophages showed an increased superoxide anion generation and a significantly decreased response to Con A compared to those of the nonswimmers. The serum corticosterone level in acute swimmers was found to be increased compared to that of an additional group of animals kept at complete rest. The findings indicate that the progressive training of rats exposed to swim stress does not prevent alterations in certain immune responses, a fact that should be considered by intensive exercisers.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

The role of dopaminergic and serotonergic mechanisms in the development of swimming ability of young rats.

Neonatal swimming behavior was studied after a single subcutaneous injection of L-dopa methyl ester (50 mg/kg; 200 mg/kg) apomorphine (0.1 mg/kg; 1.0 mg/kg), DL-amphetamine (0.5 mg/kg; 10 mg/kg), haloperidol (0.5 mg/kg; 1.0 mg/kg), L-tryptophan (50 mg/kg; 100 mg/kg), methysergide (1.0 mg/kg; 5.0 mg/kg) as well as intraventricular injection of 100 microgram 6-OHDA. 1-, 3-, 5- and 7-day-old rats were placed into a temperature-controlled aquarium (37 degrees C) and the pattern of motor coordination, latency time to swimming (LTS) and the number of foreleg strokes for 10 s (FS) were measured. When compared to the physiological saline-injected controls, rats that received L-dopa showed a striking increase of FS at all ages but the most striking improvement of motor coordination was found in newborn rats. On day 1 both doses of DL-amphetamine induced increases in FS and improvement of motor coordination, whereas apomorphine failed to show any effect at this age. On days 3, 5 and 7 low doses of DL-amphetamine and apomorphine increased the FS. However, high doses resulted in a decrement in swimming performance. Haloperidol impaired swimming on day 1 but produced a significant increase of FS on days 5 and 7. Neonatal injection of 6-OHDA delayed development of motor coordination, reduced FS and increased LTS. On days 3, 5 and 7 high doses of L-tryptophan elicited an increase of FS, while high doses of methysergide caused significant impairment of performance. It is suggested that the brain rapidly converts the administered L-dopa to dopamine during the first week of life and there appears to be a strong dependent relationship between the pattern of motor coordination and the amount of available dopamine in the developing brain.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1997

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis related to a covered and heated swimming pool environment.

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) or extrinsic allergic alveolitis is a lung disease caused by a large group of inhaled antigens of various sources. The most common HP occurring in the farm environment is classically caused by exposure to various thermophilic actinomycetes and fungi that can grow in the farm environment. Pullularia species and thermophilic actinomycetes have been involved in HP related to humidifier water and saunas. Our case illustrates the value of a site visit in the diagnosis of HP. During a visit to the covered and heated swimming-pool where our patient used to swim we could see that favourable conditions to fungal growth existed. To determine the possible aetiological agents of a suspected HP, cultures from several parts of the swimming-pool were taken. These cultures showed an intense growth of thermophilic actinomycetes, Neurospora and Aspergillus species. Precipitating antibodies against Neurospora species and Mycropolyspora faeni were detected. A case of HP related to a covered and heated swimming-pool environment is reported. Thermophilic actinomycetes and Neurospora species may be the causing agents.

Actinomycetales↗