3/24/2024 0 Comments Swimmer's itch in minnesota lakes![]() General guidelines to help you make decisions for yourself and your family about your fish-eating habits. The City of Detroit Lakes Public Works Department is responsible for solving the. Simple steps make for safe, healthy swimming. Although swimmers itch is back again, steps are being taken to remove the nasty parasites from Detroit Lake. Waterborne illness is caused by recreational or drinking water contaminated by disease-causing microbes or pathogens.Ĭauses and Symptoms | Prevention | Statistics | Waterborne Outbreaks | For Health Professionals | Print Materials Includes information about how to prevent recreational water illnesses, food safety tips, and advice about how to avoid injuries and protect yourself from the sun. Swimmers’ itch is a dermatitis that devel-ops on parts of the body that have been exposed to lake water. ![]() Learn what you can do to stay healthy at the beach. What is Swimmers’ Itch Swimmers’ itch is a skin rash caused by a parasite (called a Schistosome) that is often found in Alaska’s lakes and ponds in the summer months. Learn about how beach waters are monitored in Minnesota. These pathogens may naturally inhabit the water or come from sewage overflows, leaky septic tanks, stormwater runoff, boating waste, and animal or human waste. Although it is normal for beaches to have microorganisms in the water, sometimes the water contains pathogens that can make people sick. ![]() "It's something that's natural and it happens, so it definitely shouldn't deter you from enjoying a nice summer.Beaches and Recreational Waters in MinnesotaĪs the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” there are plenty of opportunities to go swimming at beaches in Minnesota. "It's just a reminder that the lake is not a city pool, so this is just one of those things that you have to deal with," he said. He added that lake-goers and lakeshore property owners should avoid feeding ducks, which also carry the parasites throughout the lake. If lake-goers choose to dive in anyway, Olson said that they should rinse off and dry off with a towel immediately after exiting the lake. Now that you know it's here, I would give it at least a week before heading out." "Not everyone is sensitive to swimmer's itch but, if it's really something that bothers you, wait it out. "Depending on how many of the little parasites are out there, it could take a week or so for this to work its way out of the system," he explained. Olson said that, after the first large bout of swimmer's itch hits area lakes, the remainder of the summer should be fairly safe. Those affected by swimmer's itch are encouraged to avoid scratching the blemishes.ĭon't let the fear of swimmer's itch put a damper on the summer, though. ![]() Small reddish pimples appear within 12 hours of exposure and, while some of the pimples may develop into small blisters, symptoms typically go away on their own within three to seven days.Īccording to the Mayo Clinic, the uncomfortable symptoms of swimmer's itch can be relieved by over-the-counter antihistamines or anti-itch creams that contain calamine. Symptoms of swimmer's itch include burning, tingling and itching of the infected skin. Your body's immune system detects it as a foreign protein, then attacks and kills it shortly after it penetrates your skin." "The good news is the organism that causes swimmer's itch cannot complete its life history in the human body. "As a part of their life cycle, these parasites are released by infected snails into the water, where they may come in contact with people and burrow into their skin," the Minnesota DNR website explains. ![]()
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