Swimmer’s itch is technically called cercarial dermatitis, as it is caused by cercariae, the immature larvae of schistosomes. "We’re in a drought, so the water is low, the lower water is warmer and the snails might be more abundant because of these conditions," Ekstrom added.Īnd it appears the warmth will only continue, with a streak of 90 degree days in the forecast over the next week. What is swimmer’s itch Swimmer’s itch is an itchy skin rash caused by an allergic reaction to the larval forms of parasitic flatworms released from aquatic snails into fresh and salt water lakes, ponds, and lagoons. The DNR says keeping ducks and geese away from your shoreline and swimming father away from shore are key, as the parasites like shallow, warm water. "We do sunscreen and showers as soon as we get home, when we get home, everyone is jumping in the showers," Solis shared. There are creams and lotions to put on your body before you go into the water that say they will prevent swimmer’s itch, some say sunscreen also works, toweling off and taking a shower after you get out of the water is also recommended. "I wouldn’t be surprised if more people are experiencing swimmer’s itch right now because the days have been warm and people have been swimming more," Ekstrom said. It is also found in lakes in Canada and over 30 other countries. This parasite can be found in lakes in every state (US). The rash and itching are the bodys allergic reaction to parasites in the skin. It gets into the skin of humans by mistake. According to the Mayo Clinic, the disease can be controlled with hydrocortisone cream. Swimmers itch is caused by a very tiny parasite. The parasites can burrow into skin while people are in the water, causing an allergic reaction that appears as itchy red bumps. Swimmer’s itch in a lake is not permanent but there is no way of knowing how long it can be in the water. The DNR says swimmer’s itch is a temporary skin rash that is caused by parasites carried by waterfowl and snails. To see the original report and read related stories, follow this link to the KSTP-TV website."It’s common in a lot of lakes, and when people swim, they tend to stay near shore and it tends to be more abundant near shorelines," said Bob Ekstrom, a regional aquatic habitat specialist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in Bemidji. "We're in a drought, so the water is low, the lower water is warmer and the snails might be more abundant because of these conditions," Ekstrom added.Īnd it appears the warmth will only continue, with a streak of 90 degree days in the forecast over the next week. The DNR says keeping ducks and geese away from your shoreline and swimming father away from shore are key, as the parasites like shallow, warm water. There are creams and lotions to put on your body before you go into the water that say they will prevent swimmer's itch, some say sunscreen also works, toweling off and taking a shower after you get out of the water is also recommended. "I wouldn't be surprised if more people are experiencing swimmer's itch right now because the days have been warm and people have been swimming more," Ekstrom said. The parasites can burrow into skin while people are in the water, causing an allergic reaction that appears as itchy red bumps. The DNR says swimmer's itch is a temporary skin rash that is caused by parasites carried by waterfowl and snails. "It's common in a lot of lakes, and when people swim, they tend to stay near shore and it tends to be more abundant near shorelines," said Bob Ekstrom, a regional aquatic habitat specialist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in Bemidji. Your health care provider will likely diagnose swimmers itch by looking at your skin and talking with you about your activities and symptoms. Early this summer, Facebook discussions from Detroit Lakes to Duluth, and Lake Mille Lacs to White Bear Lake shared warnings about swimmer's itch - also called cercarial dermatitis - and information about treatments. "We have luckily never had it, but we know it’s been pretty bad so we try to stay with lakes that are filtered and chlorinated, I just don’t want to have to worry about it, my kids are little," Theresa Lieser said.īut other lakes have been hit hard. Because the water in the pond is filtered and chlorinated, park staff says there's no fear of swimmer's itch, something swimmers appreciate.
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