Your continued support in both is very much appreciated. The cost of this work is significant both in terms of dollars spent and volunteer time. Your LCA board takes the issue of swimmer’s itch very seriously. Into the future we plan to partner with the Walloon Lake Association and Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council to purchase technical equipment that will allow us to analyze our own samples for schistosomes and for enteric bacteria. Please see the study results highlighted above. In addition to staying connected with other lake associations that are dealing with this problem, LCA hired Freshwater Solutions to perform a study of our lake. In 2018, the LCA joined the Swimmer’s Itch Consortium of Northern Michigan. The LCA has taken a number of steps in order to keep our lake healthy. The flight distance from there to Lake Charlevoix is less than 25 miles, a relatively short hop for these birds. One major concern centers around a State of Michigan program that trapped broods of infected merganser ducks and relocated them to the Sutton’s Bay area over the past few years. An online survey of LCA members showed 12-15 instances of human effects from swimmer’s itch. To date, Lake Charlevoix has not had a major problem with swimmer’s itch. It is concerning that several LCA members reported observing more merganser broods on the lake in 2018. In the past, mergansers were typically seen on Lake Charlevoix for a few weeks in the spring, but most of them flew further north to breed. While the worms have been found in geese and gulls, the most common carrier is the merganser duck. Many lakes in our part of the state have experienced significant human impact from swimmer’s itch and we don’t want to be one of them. The bad news is that while our body’s immune system does a great job of killing off the invaders, the process also results in a case of dermatitis, an allergic rash where small red dots appear and then grow in size for the next 24 hours with intense itching. The good news is that they can’t live in us. When these worms are looking for a duck or goose to inhabit, they sometimes encounter humans instead. The worms have a three-part life cycle in which they live in both waterfowl and aquatic snails. These are the critters that cause swimmer’s itch. The villain goes by the name of Schistosomal cercaria, the larval stage of an aquatic flatworm. Along with their beautiful appearance, some of these creatures are hosts to nasty microscopic parasites that can ruin the joy of a day in the water. For some, however, their arrival can be a cause for concern. Whether flying just above the water or bobbing along the shoreline, these gentle creatures can evoke feelings of beauty, grace and a sense of peace. 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 body's allergic reaction to parasites in the skin. It gets into the skin of humans by mistake. The return of migratory water fowl to our beautiful lake. Swimmer's itch is caused by a very tiny parasite. If swimmer’s itch does develop, over the counter remedies such as hydrocortisone cream, anti-itch lotions or baking soda or colloidal oatmeal baths may offer some relief.Due to the unfavorable results of the 2018 Swimmer’s Itch Study and coupled by the fact that numerous nearby lakes currently do have a swimmer’s itch dilemma, the LCA board is committed to performing further Lake Charlevoix Swimmer’s Itch Research in 2019. Care should be taken to dry all skin areas, including underneath swim suits. The most important prevention is to immediately remove all water from the skin by rubbing with a towel or showering water should not be allowed to evaporate on the skin. “However, if people choose to swim in Lake Crescent, there are simple steps that can lessen the risk of developing swimmer’s itch.” “The best prevention of course, is to avoid swimming in affected areas,” said Superintendent Bill Laitner. It occurs naturally in lakes and ponds and is not an indicator of pollution. Swimmer’s itch has been reported frequently in the past at Lake Crescent and is found widely throughout the United States. The rash can last for up to a week though scratching can prolong the symptoms. Though it does not survive in humans, it causes intense itching and a rash, which appear within several hours to several days. Swimmer’s itch is an allergic reaction to a small aquatic parasite that normally infects snails, as well as certain aquatic birds and mammals. Circarial dermatitis, or “swimmer’s itch” has been reported at Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park.
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