They bought "itch": Russians are massively infected with cercariasis in reservoirs
In several regions of Russia, citizens began to complain en masse of redness on the skin and itching after swimming in open reservoirs. After the examination, it turned out that beachgoers fell ill with cercariasis. This disease is caused by larvae of helminths of birds, they bite through human skin and penetrate into the body, causing a severe allergic reaction. About the dangers of cercariosis, about the symptoms and how to protect yourself — in the material of Izvestia.
In which regions of Russia is the outbreak of cercariosis
Dozens of Russians in the Moscow, Tambov, Nizhny Novgorod regions and Bashkiria contracted cercariasis while swimming in lakes. The Telegram channel Shot reported on the situation in Bashkiria. The victims said that two days after swimming in a warm lake, they developed symptoms of cercariosis — blisters and itching on the skin, some had fever.
On the eve of the start of the bathing season, Rospotrebnadzor experts are examining reservoirs in the regions and clarifying where it is safe to swim. For example, in Moscow you can swim in seven recreation areas. And in Yekaterinburg, the RPN experts, on the contrary, banned swimming in 11 reservoirs. Warning signs have been installed around the lakes. It is indicated that the experts of Rospotrebnadzor assessed the water quality, the content of the coastal territory and the bottom.
Symptoms of cercariosis
"Bather's itch", as cercariasis is also called, is a skin disease caused by the larvae of parasites, cercariae, which live in waterfowl such as ducks, geese and swans. These larvae come from infected mollusks and snails living in shallow, stagnant freshwater bodies with muddy bottoms and vegetation.
When bathing in such reservoirs, cercariae penetrate under human skin, most often on the arms, legs, thighs and buttocks, causing tingling, itching and a red rash similar to hives. Symptoms appear as early as 30 minutes after contact with contaminated water and may be accompanied by muscle tingling. In children, itching sometimes leads to scratching of the skin until it bleeds and the risk of secondary infection.
The larvae do not penetrate deeper than the fatty layer of the skin and do not reach the internal organs, but release toxins that cause allergic reactions. Swelling and redness in cercariasis may persist for several days. In children, infection can be accompanied by fever, vomiting, dizziness, and even pneumonia when the larvae spread through the bloodstream.
Cercariasis is common in Russian reservoirs where waterfowl nest, especially in summer. Experts note that fishermen and people who walk barefoot on the water are at risk. If signs of illness appear, seek medical attention.
How to treat "bather's itch" — cercariosis
Usually, with cercariasis, the symptoms of the disease are treated, since the main principle is not to scratch. The use of specific antiparasitic agents is not required, the main thing is to relieve itching. On average, the body copes with the "bather's itch" in a week. However, in rare cases, suppuration may occur due to a secondary infection, and this is a reason to immediately consult a dermatologist.
In order to avoid infection with cercariasis, experts advise choosing only reservoirs allowed for bathing. Lists of such places are usually published on the websites of regional departments of Rospotrebnadzor, and signs "swimming is prohibited" are installed at the reservoirs themselves.
According to experts, in reservoirs unsuitable for bathing, you can get infected not only with cercariasis, but also with other water-borne infections: E. coli, salmonellosis, dysentery and even cholera. In addition, parasitic diseases can be contracted through contact with the ground on beaches. We are talking about ascariasis and enterobiosis.
It is noteworthy that in polluted reservoirs it is also easy to get conjunctivitis and otitis caused by bacteria, and flowering water without cercariae contains toxic substances that cause rashes to appear on the skin. In addition to bacteria and helminths, chemical impurities that are dangerous to humans may be present in urban and suburban reservoirs.
Not swimming in bodies of water that are prohibited and not checked by sanitary services is the best way to avoid infection and death, dermatologists say. In nature, it is preferable to choose rivers with running water, where the current carries away harmful microorganisms faster. After bathing, it is recommended to take a shower and wipe yourself thoroughly with a towel. Before entering the water, you can use petroleum jelly-based repellents that do not wash off with water, doctors advise.
What the experts say
Fortunately, cercariosis is not fatal, but it is unpleasant, says Albert Rizvanov, head of the Center for Excellence "Personalized Medicine" at Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University, corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan.
— Imagine that: you just took a dip in the pond, and after a few hours, severe itching begins, a rash appears, and the temperature may rise. All this is a reaction to the penetration of parasite larvae under the skin. In fact, for these parasites, a person is an "address error", they do not survive in the body, but the immune system reacts violently anyway. This is especially difficult for children and people with sensitive skin," the expert points out.
Albert Rizvanov notes that infection most often occurs in warm standing water — ponds, lakes, especially those with a lot of algae and waterfowl, such as ducks. To protect against cercariasis, he recommends choosing proven beaches with running water, not going into the water for a long time, and be sure to thoroughly towel yourself off after bathing. These are simple measures, but they really work.
Andrey Pozdnyakov, an infectious disease specialist and chief physician of the INVITRO clinical diagnostic laboratory, urges not to ignore the prohibition signs that are established based on the results of sanitary control of urban reservoirs.
— Sanitary control is carried out for a reason. The water is not examined for all possible pathogens. There are microbiological markers on the basis of which possible water pollution is assessed. One of them is the amount of E. coli. If it is higher than the maximum permissible concentrations, this is an indirect indicator that there are many other microbes there too: the risk of infection with them is higher than in clean running water, the expert warns.
He emphasizes that it is very easy to get infected with various intestinal infections through ingestion of water. Do not forget that contaminated water, when it gets on the affected skin, can cause pyoderma, i.e. inflammation of the skin and mucous membranes — aphthous stomatitis, conjunctivitis. Microbes, such as staphylococci and streptococci, also feel good in water and, if ingested, can cause various diseases, especially if bathing is accompanied by an active tan.
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