Although uncomfortable, swimmer’s itch is not contagious or fatal. They often resemble chigger or mosquito bites. The most common symptoms include small, red bumps that may have sporadic itching for a few days. There are a few telltale ways to know if you have swimmer’s itch. And not all waterfowl, mammals, or aquatic snails may be infected. Both must be present in the same lake for the life cycle to be completed. The presence of an infected bird does not mean swimmers itch will be present because it also requires the presence of a specific snail species. One important thing to note about this intricate lifecycle is that it involves two specific host species. While humans are not the intended host, cercariae may intercept an unsuspecting swimmer. Cercariae swim to the surface of the water looking for certain birds or mammals to continue its life cycle. The snail then releases a different type of microscopic larvae known as cercariae - hence why swimmer’s itch is also called cercarial dermatitis. If the larvae locate the specific snail species, it will infect it and multiply. These larvae then search for specific host species of aquatic snails. If the eggs land in the water, they hatch and release microscopic larvae. The adult parasite lives in the blood of certain infected waterfowl and mammals, and produces eggs that are passed in feces. The parasite that causes swimmer’s itch has a fascinating and complex life cycle. In fact, they cannot survive in humans at all and die almost immediately upon burrowing into your skin.
#Swimmers itch cause skin
While the word parasite might make your skin crawl, fear not: the itchiness and bumps that are the telltale signs of swimmer’s itch are not caused by a parasite actually living under your skin. In reality, swimmer’s itch is a temporary skin rash caused by an allergic reaction to microscopic parasites that infect some birds and mammals. While stories from unlucky itchy swimmers might sound scary, the symptoms aren’t quite as dramatic as the tales you may have heard. Swimmer’s itch is steeped in local folklore and the myths about what causes it are unfortunately mostly not true. While dodging mosquitos and slathering on the sunscreen seem like second nature, what about avoiding the dreaded diagnosis of swimmer’s itch? From mosquito bites and peeling sunburns to mysterious skin rashes, we’ve all experienced a bit of epidermal irritation during the dog days of summer. Itchy skin seems like an unavoidable outcome of summertime adventures.
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