“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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