Hazards of swimming in open water

Opasnosti kupanja u prirodi su sve važniji javnozdravstveni problem jer se sve više ljudi rekreira na taj način zbog mnogobrojnih pozitivnih učinaka kupanja na zdravlje ljudi. Zbog činjenice da je većina patoloških zdravstvenih stanja stečenih aktivnostima vezanim uz vode u prirodi preventabilna, zaslužuju svu pažnju javnozdravstvenih djelatnika i ustanova, pogotovo u zemljama u kojima postoji razvijenija turistička infrastruktura uz vode u prirodi, a među takve se može ubrojiti i Hrvatska. Opasnosti su podijeljene po etiološkim čimbenicima. Od fizičkih ozljeda, svakako treba izdvojiti utapanje i ozljede kralježnice koje često završavaju smrću ili teškim poremećajima zdravlja. Ozljede uzrokovane hladnoćom, toplinom i ultraljubičastim zračenjem, među kojima su ove posljednje najopasnije jer nisu samo akutnog djelovanja, i samim time ne dobivaju toliko pažnje od ljudi pod rizikom, već dugogodišnjim izlaganjem na koncu dovode do nastajanja karcinoma kože. Opisan je utjecaj fekalnog zagađenja vode na zdravlje ljudi. Utvrđeni su i slobodni mikroorganizmi kao uzročnici bolesti, a odvajamo alge i cijanobakterije od bakterija i virusa u zasebno poglavlje. Trovanja hranom koja potječe iz voda nisu obuhvaćena ovim diplomskim radom. Za kraj se bavimo kemijskim iritansima i zagađivačima voda te opasnim morskim organizmima kod kojih je fokus stavljen na one prisutne u Jadranskom moru i slatkim vodama Hrvatske.Hazards of swimming in open waters are a growing public health problem because of the growing number of people spending their time in water-related activities, which are known mostly for ther positive impact on human health. Most of the diseases acquired during waterrelated activities are preventable, and by that, they deserve full attention of the public medical staff and facilities, especially in countries that have a developed touristic infrastructure near the seas, lakes, rivers etc., and Croatia is for sure one of those countries. The hazards are divided depending on the etiological factors. Physical injuries cause many diseases, upon them the most hazardous being drowning and spina! cord injuries, which can result in death or other severe health outcomes. Health disorders caused by heat, cold and sun radiation exposure, the last of them being the most dangerous, because it does not only cause acute ilnesses, but after a repeated Jong lasting exposure they can lead to carcinoma of the skin. Faecal pollution and it' s impact on human health is also described. Free microorganisms are being analyzed as causes of diseases, and algae and cyanobacteria are divided from other microorganisms. Seafood poisonings are not part of this paper. In the end, the chemical and physical agents and dangerous aquatic organisms are being described as causes of diseases, and in the dangerous aquatic organisms chapter, the focus is set on those living in the Adriatic sea and Croatian freshwater