Aisling McCarthy had no reason to prevent her eight-year-old daughter, Kiwa, from swimming at the local Avon Beach in Dorset. This hot summer, the sea water was rated at its highest quality according to environmental assessments and received an 'excellent' label. However, after Kiwa accidentally swallowed some seawater while being hit by a wave, the family paid little attention to it.
Two days later, Kiwa became severely lethargic, and Aisling had to wake her up in the morning. While the family was preparing for a camping trip to Devon, Kiwa refused to eat breakfast and slept almost the entire way. The next day, her body temperature rose above 39 degrees Celsius, and she suffered from persistent diarrhea.
Kiwa's Concerning Condition
Aisling said, 'This was not a typical gastrointestinal infection that I had seen in my children before.' She added, 'I was carrying her everywhere because she was so lethargic. I usually could control the fever with medication, but the temperature would drop and then rise again.'
The next day, Aisling noticed blood in Kiwa's stool and became extremely worried. The family quickly went to the hospital's emergency department, where Kiwa was connected to an IV due to severe dehydration and was diagnosed with a viral infection. Fortunately, she improved after two days and was discharged.
Bacterial Infection from Swimming
However, subsequent test results revealed that Kiwa had contracted a Campylobacter infection, which can be transmitted through contaminated food or water. Aisling contacted local authorities again to inquire about water quality, but their response was to ask her about attending food festivals, even though the family had not participated in any of those festivals.
Aisling was frustrated by this, as Kiwa ate very little meat, and Campylobacter bacteria are usually associated with undercooked chicken. According to Aisling, her twin sister did not fall ill, and she could not recall what Kiwa had eaten that might have caused this infection.
Experts are warning about a concerning gap in the monitoring system for swimming waters in the UK. Despite Avon Beach being officially rated as 'excellent,' routine tests do not check for Campylobacter bacteria. In fact, more than half of the 1,279 swimmers who became ill this summer swam in waters that were officially rated as 'good' or 'excellent.'
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