He said it is a thick white cream, but if it is rubbed in thoroughly, it is less noticeable. The ointment is thick and covers the pores of the skin, he said, which can make it very difficult for the parasite to enter. George, said another ointment that has been found to be effective is Desitin ointment or any similar product that contains a high level of zinc oxide, which also creates a barrier that can prevent the parasites from coming into contact with the swimmer’s skin. Steve Kirkland, owner of Sienna’s Pharmacy in St. “For some reason the parasite doesn’t like eucalyptus oil at all,” Bell said, adding the cream will need to be applied every hour or so for it to remain effective.īell also reiterated the effectiveness of applying sunscreen before entering the water. This 2016 file photo shows a sign at the entrance to Sand Hollow State Park warning visitors that swimmer’s itch is active, Hurricane, Utah, J| Photo by Cody Blowers, St. JR Bell, a pharmacist at Hurricane Family Pharmacy, said the ointment Swimmer’s Itch Guard contains eucalyptus oil as one if its main ingredients – an odor that repels the larvae. He went on to say there are topical creams that can also be effective in reducing the risk of becoming a host – including one that is available at Hurricane Family Pharmacy. To that end, Hunt said there are several showers that are now provided free of charge to park visitors. Taking a shower and rinsing off immediately after leaving the water can remove any parasites before they enter the skin, and drying off with a towel can also remove the unwanted hitchhikers. Visitors can apply a waterproof sunscreen before entering the water, which can create a protective barrier and make it more difficult for the parasite to burrow under the skin. Small children playing in shallow water are most susceptible, as they cycle between being wet and dry throughout the day, which increases the risk of being infected as the larvae tend to burrow once the swimmer leaves the water. Shallow areas of the reservoir contain the highest concentration of parasites, particularly the southern shore of the reservoir, while the diving rocks and deeper waters do not provide a favorable environment for the tiny hitchhikers. However, taking preventative steps before entering the water can reduce the risk of the tiny invaders entering at all, he said, and knowing where the parasites proliferate can also help, since there are specific areas that are more prone to becoming infected than others. Rash caused by swimmer’s itch causes red spots on a swimmer’s limbs, Sand Hollow State Park, Hurricane, Utah, date not specified | Photo courtesy of Sand Hollow State Park, St. He also said that swimmer’s itch is more pronounced at Sand Hollow than what has been found at Quail Creek or other reservoirs in Southern Utah, but the cause or reason for that phenomena has yet to be determined.Įducating the visiting public is the focus at Sand Hollow State Park, Hunt said, and to that aim the park has posted a great deal of information regarding swimmer’s itch on their Facebook page, including steps park visitors can take to alleviate the symptoms once the parasites have burrowed into the skin. “We could drain Sand Hollow and start over by filling it back up – only to have the parasite return.” While swimmer’s itch can be difficult to manage it would be impossible to eradicate the parasite from Sand Hollow, Hunt said. Photo of parasite that causes swimmer’s itch | Photo courtesy of the Center for Disease Control, St. The larvae responsible for the skin condition remain in the water for several weeks, from the end of May through June, he said, and then beginning in the first part of July those numbers begin to drop as the summer progresses. The timing for the spike in the number of cases makes sense, Hunt said, since the parasite thrives once the temperature of the water reaches 65 degrees – which just so happens to take place right around Memorial Day weekend. The parasite is commonly found in shallow water and is more common during the summer months. Swimmer’s itch is described as a skin rash caused by an allergic reaction to microscopic parasites carried by waterfowl, semi-aquatic mammals and snails. George News that the park has started to see reports of swimmer’s itch from park visitors over the last week. Sand Hollow State Park spokesperson Jonathan Hunt told St. The entrance to Sand Hollow State Park seen in the summer of 2018, Hurricane, Utah | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. However, steps can be taken before and after swimming that can be effective at halting the invasion before it begins. GEORGE - The parasite responsible for swimmer’s itch has made its annual migration to Sand Hollow State Park, leaving visitors with the nasty rash as the microscopic visitors burrow under the skin of their unsuspecting hosts.
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