Questions, Answers on Swimmer’s Itch—from Pelican Lake task force

Questions-answers about swimmers itch, from the Pelican Lake Property Owners Association—Swimmer’s Itch task force.

Question: Is it safe to swim in Pelican Lake?
Answer: Yes and no, it depends on your location and other factors (such as wind). Typically the most problematic areas are locations that either 1) have high snail concentrations or 2) have had strong onshore winds.
Question: How do I know if I have a lot of snails around my property?
Answer: The snails that are host to the parasite tend to prefer the following conditions:
• Depth: shallower areas (i.e. 2 to 4 feet of water) are ideal for the snails. Though areas that tend to drop off rapidly (i.e. deeper than 6 feet beyond the end of the dock) are typically not ideal for snails.
• Bottom: snails prefer sandy bottoms with minimal rocks or tall weeds. Carpet weeds that tend to only grow a couple inches off the bottom are suitable for snails.
Question: Is it safe to swim in the middle of the lake?
Answer: Generally, yes. The highest concentration of the parasite tends to be where there is the highest concentration of snails or on the windy side of the lake closer to shore. While the middle of the lake is not completely devoid of the parasite we have not heard many cases of swimmers in the middle of the lake having any severe outbreaks.
Question: Is there a way to test if there is swimmer’s itch at my property before swimming?
Answer: No, there is no test to determine this. If you plan to swim around your property it would be advisable that you invite your least favorite person over to your cabin and push them off the dock and observe what happens. Just kidding. But testing the water by one individual going into a shallow area for a few minutes and observe the outcome will likely produce a better outcome then sending a bunch of kids into the water for hours of play without knowing. And remember, just because the water did not cause itch one day does not necessarily mean the parasite won’t be there the next day.
Question: Can I use Copper Sulfate to kill the snails around my property?
Answer: Yes, Copper Sulfate does kill snails. But it should be noted that a permit from the DNR is required. However, the effectiveness of using Copper Sulfate to prevent swimmer’s itch is likely negligible. Copper Sulfate will only kill the snails in the area that it is distributed. There are likely millions of snails in Pelican Lake. And due to wind and water currents the parasite from an infected snail around your property (and even all the way across the lake) can mean that you can still get a bad case of swimmer’s itch even if you don’t have any snails on your property.
Question: I’ve heard there are ways to prevent it such as zinc sunscreen, swimmer’s itch cream and petroleum jelly applications before going in the water and quickly toweling and rinsing off when I get out of the water. Do these work?
Answer: No, for the most part. “Typical” swimmer’s itch (that periodically has appeared on various lakes in our region) can be stopped or reduced using these methods. But merganser variety swimmer’s itch is far more potent than the swimmer’s itch that is caused by mallards or geese. The parasite burrows into your skin while you are in the water so toweling/rinsing off as soon as you get out has little to no effect. The use of topicals such as zinc sunscreen and swimmer’s itch cream has produced very mixed results. Some claim it is very effective but others claim it had no effect. There is certainly no harm in using these but there is no guarantee they will work effectively.
Question: Can a rash guard or full body swimsuit prevent swimmer’s itch?
Answer: Not really. Some research indicates that a full body swimsuit or rash guard can help reduce swimmer’s itch. However, other evidence suggests that the use of a rash guard can actually exacerbate the issue.
Question: Can a wetsuit help prevent swimmer’s itch?
Answer: Yes, wetsuits have been proven to be an effective barrier against swimmer’s itch. But it is suggested they be a 3mm wetsuit with tight fit around the wrist, ankles and neck. And keep in mind that areas such as feet, hands and face that are exposed to the parasite are at risk of getting swimmer’s itch unless using wet suit gloves or boots. Additionally, the effectiveness can be greatly reduced if the swimming activity involves a lot of jumping and playing in the water.
Question: Can I just shoot the merganser ducks, which are linked to the very serious strain of swimmer’s itch?
Answer: Legally, this can only be done during hunting season. And as much as we all want the ducks off the lake as fast as possible if you shoot at the ducks and/or harass them it only makes them more skittish, which will make future trapping efforts more challenging.
Question: Why do some people have worse reactions than others to swimmer’s itch?
Answer: Everybody reacts differently. In fact, 20-30% of people are immune entirely from the effects of swimmer’s itch. Additionally, people’s reaction tends to get worse with more repeated exposure.
For additional questions or feedback feel free to reach out to the swimmer’s itch task force directly:
Bill Ness: billgness@gmail.com
Marjorie Mathison Hance: mmhance4@gmail.com