Desperate warning issued about disgusting 'brown challenge' spreading across Spain

If you're planning on holidaying in Spain anytime soon, it's best if you stay clear of any public pools now that a trend known as reto marrón has been sweeping across the nation.

The ‘brown challenge’ is the latest thing to take off online, and it’s exactly how it sounds.

Brown = poo.

Challenge = unassuming victims.

The location, however, is in pools where other holidaymakers enjoy their time and get to relax in the sun.

But instead of lapping up the rays and clean chlorinated water, they might end up bathing in poo juice now that some are challenging themselves to let one go in the body of water.

Or, they're tasked with dropping a log wrapped in a plastic bag or inside of a swimsuit into the water.

The 'brown challenge' is exactly what you think it is (Getty Stock Images)

What first began as a gross Instagram and TikTok trend, soon grew into something unimaginable.

The aim, per TikTok videos, is to close down the pool, and considering 300 have been shut down due to the poo, they've been successful in their mission.

Because of the risk to people's health if they are exposed to the contaminant, the law states that pools need to be closed for 24 to 48 hours while cleaning and filtering takes place.

The water will also need to be tested several times to ensure no fecal matter is present.

What people might not know is that exposure to poo is more than just a gross inconvienence.

It can actually make you sick as Dr Manuel Viso warned that children are particularly vulnerable to this because they often swallow small amounts of pool water while swimming, per The Spanish Eye.

According to Poison Control, 'human feces are considered potentially dangerous when swallowed since feces contain pathogens including viruses, bacteria, and/or parasites.'

As many people accidentally swallow pool water, that means anyone in the pool that is being 'brown challenged' are at risk of those illnesses.

You could get sick (Getty Stock Images)

Per its website, symptoms and conditions range from mild to toxic, as it explained: "Depending on the pathogens in the feces, you may experience a range of symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. If vomiting and diarrhea are severe, dehydration can occur."

It added: "If feces are contaminated with hepatitis A, liver toxicity can occur. Other diseases may be transmitted via feces as well."

But that's not all.

Apparently, 'the pathogens in feces can cause infections' as there are some 'bacteria possibly present in human feces' such as 'Bacteroides, campylobacter, E. coli, salmonella, shigella, vibrio, and Yersinia'.

Poison Control added: "Viruses include adenovirus, coronavirus, enterovirus, hepatitis A, HIV, norovirus and rotavirus. Giardia and Cryptosporidium are 2 examples of parasites that can be found in feces."

So, please stop s****** in pools for views.

Not only can it cost people's health, but also a lot of money to drain and refill all the water, leading to 50 municipalities issue public alerts.

Local councils are even fining those responsible from €1,000 to €3,000 if caught, per the Express.

Picassent has reached heights of €5,000 for those caught doing the act.