#Swimmers itch bites skin#

This reaction can lead to bacterial infection. When to See a DoctorĪ swimmer's itch infection will cause you to scratch the affected area aggressively.

This allergic reaction is not contagious. However, a well-maintained swimming pool that is regularly chlorinated is generally safe and doesn't pose the risk of a swimmer's itch infection. If you've had a swimmer's itch before, a subsequent exposure can result in severe reactions. Children are more susceptible to swimmer's itch since they tend to play near such water bodies. Swimming or wading through shallow water near a shoreline prone to snails can also expose you to cercariae dermatitis. If you swim in a parasite-infected water body, you're likely to develop a swimmer's itch. Who's At Risk of Contracting Swimmer's Itch? Bathing with colloidal oatmeal or Epsom salts.Notable remedies recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention include the following: Swimmer's itch can be treated using available home remedies. Your doctor may also ask about your medical history, notable allergies, and whether you're taking any special medications or supplements. If other people who were exposed to the water developed similar symptoms.If you've had a swimming session with the last 24 hours.When you first started feeling the itchy sensation.To diagnose swimmer's itch, the doctor may ask you specific diagnostic questions to identify the allergy. There are no specific tests for cercarial dermatitis. For example, insect bites, jellyfish stings, or bacterial infections may cause similar symptoms on your skin.

#Swimmers itch bites skin#

There are several types of skin reactions similar to cercarial dermatitis, which can make it hard to tell if your condition is a swimmer's itch. The more you're exposed to contaminated water, the more frequent and intense a swimmer's itch can be. However, the itching will subside after a few days or within a week.Įven so, you may develop more severe symptoms if you often swim in contaminated water. Persistent scratching may result in other bacterial infections. Scratching will lead to a rash, which may lead to small blisters. In a case of cercariae infection, you're likely to experience an unusual tingling, burning, or itching sensation after a few minutes or days following a swimming session. Burning, itching, or tingling sensation in the affected skin.Here are some of the most common symptoms of a swimmer's itch. Most people, while describing their condition, will say they got a rash from lake water or rash from swimming. Since the larvae cannot survive in the human body, they eventually die in the skin. Generally, humans are not a perfect host for cercariae, but the parasite can burrow into the skin, causing allergic reactions and itchy rashes.

Once the infected snail releases the cercariae in the water, it swims in search of an aquatic bird or mammal. They then produce a different kind of microscopic larva called cercariae (hence the name cercarial dermatitis). Once they infect the snails, they live off the hosts’ blood before maturing into adults. If these eggs end up in the water, they hatch into microscopic larvae, which look for specific aquatic snails to infect. The adult parasites then produce eggs that are passed in the infected bird or mammal's excrement. What Causes Swimmer’s Itch?Īdult parasites thrive in the blood of an infected bird or mammal, especially those that live in or near water such as ducks, swans, or raccoons. Swimmer's itch is common around the world and is more prevalent during the summer months. If you swim in such parasite-infested water, the parasite will burrow into your skin, resulting in an allergic reaction. The microscopic parasites responsible for swimmer's itch contaminate fresh and saltwater after being released from infected snails. This allergic reaction is also known as cercarial dermatitis, which develops as a skin rash. A swimmer's itch is an allergic reaction to certain parasites that typically infect specific mammals and birds.