Swimmers itch bumps skin#

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. However, repeated exposures can result in severe reactions.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. Swimmer’s itch usually resolves within 1–3 weeks without treatment. Short course of oral corticosteroid for a severe reaction.

Swimmers itch bumps skin#

Immediate towelling after exiting the water to reduce skin penetration of the parasites.To reduce the risk of cercariae on the skin: Use of chemical molluscicides such as copper sulphate or copper carbonate in small lakes to kill potentially infested snails.Reduce vegetation in high-risk areas to make the environment less favourable for the water snails.

Feed birds with a drug to treat the parasite.

To reduce parasite numbers in the environment: What is the treatment for swimmer’s itch? Preventative measures What is the differential diagnosis for swimmer’s itch? There is no widely available blood test to confirm an allergy to cercariae. Skin biopsies are not diagnostic but may be performed to exclude other causes of an itchy, blistering, or urticarial rash. Swimmer’s itch is suspected clinically based on the characteristics of the rash following bathing in infested waters.

Secondary bacterial infection following scratching.

Episodes become more severe with repeated exposures.

What are the complications of swimmer’s itch? Outbreak of swimmer's itch in Denmark. Acta Derm Venereol. Cercariae may accidentally attach to human skin, penetrate the skin, die, and cause a local allergic reaction.Ĭredit: Images are from Tracz ES, Al-Jubury A, Buchmann K, Bygum A. Cercariae may penetrate the skin or are ingested by the aquatic bird/animal, develop into an adult worm, and the cycle starts again. The miracidium enters the snail, elongates into a sporocyst, then matures into a cercaria which burrows out of the snail into the water. An egg hatches in the water to become a free-swimming miracidium in search of a specific snail species. The adult worm lives in a bird/animal, and the eggs are excreted via the intestines in the faeces. Schistosomes are parasitic flatworms with a lifecycle that involves aquatic birds (eg, ducks, geese, gulls, swans) or mammals (eg, beavers, muskrats), specific species of aquatic snails, and warm fresh or salt water. Swimmer’s itch is a disease of aquatic birds and humans are accidentally affected. However, it is only after repeated exposure to cercariae that the allergy develops and a rash eventuates. Young children are particularly susceptible as they tend to remain in shallow warm water where the snails are found in the highest numbers. Swimmer’s itch can affect anyone swimming in waters with infested snails.