Few diseases after rain, spills

Health officials say no clusters of disease have cropped up yet as a result of recent rains that flooded neighborhoods and sent sewage into Waikiki's waters, but they advise people to keep an eye out for unusual symptoms.

"There are so many different issues associated with the recent weather craziness, starting with the sewage problem," said Dr. Sarah Park, deputy chief of the state Health Department's Disease Outbreak Control Division.

Contaminated ocean water carries bacteria that could cause diarrhea and vomiting as well as staph or strep infections, she said. Freshwater mud can harbor leptospirosis, which causes flu-like symptoms and can be treated successfully if it's caught early. Standing pools of water can lead to mosquito bites.

"So far, there has been no confirmed case of leptospirosis, and as far as staph, we haven't had any reported to us," Health Department spokesman Kurt Tsue said yesterday. The Health Department keeps tabs on disease outbreaks through a laboratory surveillance system.

But people who have been in contact with contaminated water or mud should be wary. Red, warm or swollen wounds could indicate a staph infection, which could cause severe illness if left untreated. Leptospirosis can be mistaken for flu. It usually shows up within a couple of weeks of exposure, but can incubate for up to 30 days.

Dayna Hillcrest, a 37-year-old Pacific Heights resident, headed to her doctor yesterday to get checked, after competing in an ultimate Frisbee competition at the Waimanalo Polo Field held March 25 and 26 that turned into a mudbath.

"I don't really think it's leptospirosis. I just would rather find out," she said. "I'm not feeling well at all."

She added: "There were big puddles on the field. It was brown and muddy. We were definitely getting water from the field in our face; we were constantly diving in it and falling in it."

At Waikiki, some tourists have ventured past warning signs to play in the ocean, but Doctors on Call Straub-Waikiki reported no upswing in related health problems so far. Instead, it has seen less of its top tourist complaint.

"We usually get patients suffering from sunburn, but because there hasn't been sun, we haven't had any sunburns," said Makiko Cummings, who handles marketing for the organization.

Officials cannot predict how higher bacterial counts in the ocean might play out in terms of illness, Park said. People who go in contaminated water don't necessarily get sick. And if they do, it might not be because of the water.

"All those bacteria counts tell us is that your opportunity to be around potential pathogens is higher. You're just increasing the odds of potentially getting infected," Park said.

People who come down with gastroenteritis within a week after swimming could have gotten it from the water or from something else. Ditto for staph infections, she said.

"Staphylococcus and streptococcus are ubiquitous," Park said. "You have them on your skin. If you have an open cut or scratch, that's a way for bacteria to get introduced to your body."

She advises people who swim in the ocean to wash well afterward, whether there has been a sewage spill or not. Surfers shouldn't shrug off cuts that are red and swollen.

"Usually young surfers, they feel like it's nothing, and pop an ibuprofen," she said. "Then it starts to fester. If it's red and warm and swollen, it's probably infected. If you're not sure, go see your doctor."

Seafood from contaminated waters should also be avoided. And residents should also be vigilant about emptying containers of fresh water -- from old tires to potted plants -- to prevent an explosion in the mosquito population, which can spread dengue fever. Standing pools of water could also help boost the population of rodents, which carry leptospirosis and typhus.

"There are a lot of things to think about from an infectious-disease point of view," Park said.