Swimmer’s Itch found in Negaunee’s Teal Lake

NEGAUNEE — Teal Lake is experiencing cases of swimmer’s itch, due to the lake’s temperature rising. Swimmer’s itch, which is a rash that is caused by parasites, can be quite uncomfortable.

The adult parasite lives in the blood of infected animals such as ducks, geese, gulls, swans, and certain mammals such as muskrats and raccoons. These larvae can enter waterways through waste that is created by these animals. The larvae will then swim in the warm, shallow waters in search of a certain species of aquatic snail. But there are ways to prevent the parasite from irritating the skin.

“So the main way to prevent it is when you get out of the water is to towel off right away,” explained Michael Grossman, Family Doctor, M.D. “One of the other ways, if you are a decent swimmer, is that you can swim out into the deep water. This is because the parasites do not live in the deep water due to no snails in the deep water.”

Even though there are chances to get swimmers itch, the rash is not harmful but only seen as an irritation for whoever may receive it.
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