Common Cutaneous Bacterial Infections in Competitive Swimmers: A Retrospective Study

Background/Objectives: Bacterial skin infections are common, particularly among ath-letes. In swimming, folliculitis, pitted keratolysis, and impetigo are among the most frequent. However, data on these infections in competitive swimmers are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of bacterial infections in young competitive swimmers from Greek clubs. Methods: Ethics approval was obtained from the Univer-sity of West Attica (52645/20-07-2020) and the Hellenic Swimming Federation (787/15-03-2019). An anonymous questionnaire was completed by 1047 swimmers or their parents. Data collected included gender, age, frequency and season of infections, training environment (indoor/outdoor), years of training, weekly training frequency, and hygiene-related behaviors. Results: Infections significantly correlated with age and years of training. Higher prevalence was observed among swimmers training in indoor facilities. Specific behaviors—such as placing towels and clothes on locker room benches—were linked to pitted keratolysis (p=0.036) and impetigo (p< 0.001). Sharing equipment was associated with all three infections. Folliculitis and pitted keratolysis were less frequent and mainly affected adolescent and adult swimmers. Impetigo was more common and affected younger age groups. A strong association was found be-tween, seasonal allergies and both folliculitis and pitted keratolysis, between skin al-lergies, pitted keratolysis, impetigo and viral skin infections with all bacterial mani-festations. Conclusions: Cutaneous bacterial infections can impact swimmers’ health and performance. Preventive strategies, including proper hygiene, awareness, and prompt treatment, are vital to reducing the risk of infection and limiting transmission within swimming communities.