What is likely the most prevalent snail species in central Alberta, Stagnicola elodes, was found in every lake surveyed and is also able to transmit the parasite that causes the condition, Hanington noted. They also discovered that every common aquatic snail species in Alberta carries at least one species of parasite that causes swimmer's itch. In Alberta alone, the website has recorded case reports from 101 lakes across the province. between 20 and were able to conclude that swimmer's itch could be a problem at any lake in the country. Using the website survey, he and his team studied 3,800 self-reported cases across Canada and the U.S. Unfortunately, there's no way to completely avoid swimmer's itch if people want to make a splash in Alberta's lakes, Hanington noted. The website provides updates on swimmer's itch research, an online survey that lets people report their cases and a resulting map that shows the shifting locations and dates of outbreaks (factors like wind and time of day can influence where the parasite is most abundant), so they can decide whether they want to visit a particular lake that day. We want to use it as a tool to connect with people." "We want to help people make informed choices about where they swim by providing information on where swimmer's itch is occurring and through education, which is what the website provides. The website was created to measure how widespread the issue is by connecting with "citizen scientists," said Patrick Hanington, a researcher with the School of Public Health. Swimmer's itch is contracted by swimming in lakes, and is caused by the larvae of a worm-like parasites that are released into the water by infected snails and can penetrate the skin to cause the itch. The parasites move with water and wind, so can concentrate on shorelines. If it's safe to do so, swim further offshore, where there's less chance of getting swimmer's itch.If a rash develops, it's likely you'll develop a worse case of swimmer's itch by re-entering the water. At first, don't spend a long time in the water-get out after 10 minutes and check your skin for red spots.Avoid early-morning dips-that's when the parasites tend to emerge from their snail hosts and are most active.Be aware that July and August are peak season for swimmer's itch in Alberta lakes.How to minimize your chances of getting the rash SWIMMERSITCH.ca lets people report their own cases of the rash, alert others to problem areas around North America, learn more about the condition and fill out a survey that helps U of A researchers pinpoint when and where the parasites that cause swimmer's itch are most prevalent. People wondering about catching swimmer's itch can get in the know with a University of Alberta website before heading to the lake this summer.
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