Swimmers itch bites skin#

From peeling sunburns to mosquito bites, many of the inflamed epidermal threats we experience are widely known and well understood by local residents and out-of-state visitors alike.īut there’s another cutaneous offender that exists more in the realm of local folklore than the rest - one that resides in the shoreline waters of Flathead Lake and other freshwater bodies, and starts to emerge when summer temperatures approach their peak.

Swimmers itch bites skin#

The best thing we can do is try to reduce the incidence and severity.Here in Montana, itchy skin has always been an unavoidable consequence when enjoying the great outdoors. 'If we swim in lakes, we're going to experience it. 'It is something that people are going to encounter when in a natural setting,' said Gilbertson. Other area lakes, like Long and Rice, have not had any problems with the condition this year. 'When wind is coming into a beach, it's a bad time for encountering them.' 'Since cercaria can't swim, a wind shift can allow them to move,' he said. She swam in the morning following a storm with high winds. She got a bad case of swimmer's itch last Wednesday. Kristine Potratz has a cabin on Little Sandy Point. Though these two Lake Koronis beaches have the problem under control, cases of swimmer's itch have sprung up around private residences. 'We're going to start treating the water every spring now because it's there every year,' said Spates. The Assembly Grounds staff treats the water twice a summer with copper sulfate. It just depends on how allergic you are.' 'I've gotten it three years in a row now,' he said.

Spates said the severity and duration of a case of swimmer's itch depends on the sensitivity of the individual. Zac Spates, head lifeguard at the Lake Koronis Assembly Grounds, came into contact with swimmer's itch in May, when he was putting docks in at the Grounds.

Some incidences occurred and were reported before the beach officially opened, so the city treated the water. Treatment with this chemical requires a permit from the DNR.Īutumn Roemeling, lifeguard at Veteran's Memorial Park, said swimmer's itch has not been a problem this summer. ≝o not encourage waterfowl to loaf on your dock.Ĭopper sulfate can be used to treat areas where swimmer's itch becomes a problem. ≚void swimming on days when there is an on shore breeze blowing toward your property. Towel off immediately after leaving the water. ≚void swimming or wading in shallow water near shore. Gilbertson of the Department of Natural Resources fisheries office in Spicer, recommends several things to reduce the chance of getting swimmer's itch. The discomfort of the welts is the only symptom. The human immune system responds by killing the cercaria, and itchy welts flare up on the skin.Ĭontact with the cercaria is not dangerous, and will not cause any diseases. They do this by attempting to burrow under the skin. They will also try to attach to humans if they come in contact with them. The natural host of the cercaria are birds and waterfowl. Because they cannot swim, they rely on wind and currents to transport them.

The parasites then begin to search for a host. When the water temperature reaches about 60 degrees, cercaria (flat worm larva) are released from snails. Swimmer's itch produces the same inflamed welts, though from a different source. Chigger bites produce inflamed welts on the skin. They are parasites of humans and animals. Swimmer's itch is commonly, but incorrectly, called 'chiggers,' because of the similarity of the symptoms between the two conditions.Ĭhiggers are six-legged mite larva that live in tall grass or weeds. Swimmer's itch is a natural nuisance Swimmer's itch is a natural nuisance This article submitted by Erin Aagesen on 7/12/00.Įvery summer, as the temperatures rise and people begin swimming in area lakes, swimmer's itch becomes a nuisance at public beaches and private residences.