![]() The snails, once infected, release their own larvae that can infect people by burrowing into their skin. Tiny larvae, which tend to congregate in shallow waters by shorelines, hatch from these eggs and instantly look for their next host: a specific species of aquatic snail. The parasites produce eggs that are then released via the animals’ feces. The parasites that cause swimmer’s itch are called cercariae, and they naturally live in the blood of animals such as ducks, geese, swans, and raccoons that live in or around lakes, ponds, and oceans. It’s also sometimes known as clam-digger’s itch or duck itch. It can happen anywhere people frequently swim, either fresh or saltwater, with the right combination of conditions. The rash is called swimmer’s itch, or cercarial dermatitis, and it’s actually a pretty common occurrence in the summer across the US and around the world. It wasn’t until one of her friends sent her a TikTok of another woman who came down with a similar-looking rash after paddleboarding in the same lake, around the same time, that she realized she was having an allergic reaction - to a microscopic parasite. “I did not think it was from the water,” said Caussey, who initially thought she was having an allergic reaction to her aunt’s cats. The next morning, however, she woke up with an extremely itchy red rash all over her legs that soon spread to her arms. After two hours, the group went home and showered immediately, Caussey told BuzzFeed News. The 19-year-old didn’t think twice before hopping into the water at Lady Bird Park, also known as Town Lake, to paddleboard with some friends. Don’t encourage birds to stay near swimming areas by feeding them.Reagan Caussey, a Dallas resident, decided to visit her aunt in Austin last month to kick-start her summer with some fun under the sun.Avoid swimming in areas where snails have accumulated.Toweling off immediately after swimming or wading in infested water can be very helpful in preventing rash development.What can be done to reduce the chances of getting swimmer’s itch? In some lakes it may last the entire summer. The outbreaks in Wisconsin may last from 2-weeks in the northern lakes to a month in the southern lakes. The first outbreaks usually occur in late May or early June. #Swimmers itch parasites skin#Some people may get relief from the itching by applying skin lotions or creams to the infected site. There is no treatment necessary for swimmer’s itch. What is the treatment for swimmer’s itch? Symptoms may appear within 1 to 2 hours of exposure. Repeated exposure increases a person’s allergic sensitivity to the parasite and increases the likelihood of rash development. The symptoms should disappear within a week.Ī person’s first exposure to infested water may not result in the itchy rash. The irritated spot reaches its maximum size after about 24 hours the itching may continue for several days. Whenever infested water is allowed to evaporate off the skin, an initial tingling sensation may be felt associated with the penetration of the parasite into the skin. Swimmer’s itch may be prevalent among bathers in lakes in many parts of the world, including the Great Lakes region of North America and certain coastal beaches.Īn individual may get the infection by swimming or wading in infested water and then allowing water to evaporate off the skin rather than drying the skin with a towel. All age groups and both sexes can be involved, but children are most often infected due to their habits of swimming or wading in shallow water and playing on the beach as the water evaporates from the skin. People who swim or wade in infested water may experience this itchy rash. Only about one third of the people who come in contact with the parasite develop swimmer’s itch. The parasite in man does not mature, reproduce or cause any permanent infection. After penetration, these parasites remain in the skin and die but can cause an allergic reaction in some people. As part of their developmental life cycle, these parasites are released from infected snails, migrate through the water, and are capable of penetrating the skin of man. Common grackles, red-winged blackbirds, ducks, geese, swans, muskrats and moles have been found to carry the parasite. Swimmer’s itch is a skin rash caused by a parasite (shistosomes) which ordinarily infect birds, semiaquatic mammals, and snails. “Swimmer’s Itch” (cercarial dermatitis, schistosome dermatitis) There have been some reports of swimmer’s itch from individuals swimming in Green Lake over the 4th of July. ![]()
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