1 NJ Beach Under Swimming Advisory For High Bacteria Levels

SEASIDE HEIGHTS, NJ — A swimming advisory has been issued on Tuesday for a bay beach in Seaside Heights due to elevated bacteria levels, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection.

The beach at Hancock Avenue on Barnegat Bay is under an advisory because results of Monday's water sampling showed Enterococci bacteria readings of 430 colonies per 100 milliliters of water.

New Jersey beaches are placed under a swimming advisory when the concentration of bacteria exceeds 104 colonies per 100 milliliters of sample, according to the NJDEP's beaches website, NJBeaches.org.

Any initial sample that exceeds the water quality standard results in swim advisories in the area. Two consecutive samples above the limit result in beach closings.

Sources of Enterococci in water include stormwater runoff, sewage discharged or dumped from recreational boats, and domestic animal and wildlife waste. Swimming in polluted water can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, runny nose, earaches skin rashes and flu-like symptoms.

“Enterococcal infections are caused by Enterococcus bacteria, which are normally found in the human intestine and urinary tract," said Dr. Edward Liu, chief of infectious diseases at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center. "These bacteria can cause infections when they enter other parts of the body, often due to breaches in the body's natural barriers, like skin or bowel."

"Enterococcal infections can cause a range of symptoms depending on where the problem is. If it's in the urinary system you can experience urinary burning and urinary frequency. If enterococcus is in the bloodstream you can have sepsis. If enterococcus is causing colitis or diverticulitis, you may have abdominal pain and diarrhea. Enterococcus can be mildly contagious," Liu said.