Duck Itch...2013 edition
 

After waiting all spring to hit the water, I went in yesterday to get relief from the heat. I was in for about 45 minutes just floating around. My penally for using the lake was over 50 large duck itch welts on my legs. I've had it before, but not to this extent. It appears worse than ever and it is early in the season. My location....Blackey Cove (near Center Harbor) on Winnipesaukee. Disappointing to say the least. Between mosquitoes and now duck itch, winter seems a better option from the seasonal pests that good weather brings on. And we DO NOT feed the ducks.

Last August, I caught a bad case of the duck itch on my legs and arms and it was very itchy and took about two weeks for it to clear up. Tried a number a different over-the-counter remedies similar to treating poison ivy. It seems that unless one has had a bad case oneself, then one cannot really appreciate how itchy and irritating the duck itch can be; ......duck itch....very bad....indeed!....oh yes....oh no ...oh yes ...very very very itchy ... !:eek2::fire::eek2:

My girlfriend got it too, and had both her arms and hands swell up so bad that she ended up at the Spear Hospital ER in Plymouth and an rx for Prednisone and a $900+ ER room bill....ouch! If that happened again this summer, we sure as heck will not be going back to Spear now that the LRGH in Laconia has http://www.lrgh.org/programs-services/convenience-care at something like $100.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swimmer's_itch includes a photo of duck itch red spots on lower legs.

"Within hours, these spots become raised papules which are intensely itchy. Each spot corresponds to the penetration site of a single parasite."

If Lake Winnipesaukee translates to 'The smile of the great spirit' then the Lake Winnipesaukee duck itch could be "The groan of the great spirit!"; arrrrggggghhhhhhhh .....omg ...omg ...omg...oh no or "The revenge of the great spirit!" ... aka ... Lake Winni's Revenge!

itch
 

Worse than poison ivy! It seems to get into the muscle, not just on the outer skin and no matter how much you scratch, you can't get it. Benedryl is the best relief. I've seen people covered head to toe. Seems a little early in the season as "they" say the itch usually comes when the water is warmer. And how come when I was young and there were alot more ducks around, we never got it...mmmmm. Could it be pollution or fertilizer run off and the whole thing is just a cover up...blame the duck...the easy way out.

I believe duck itch is from a parasite and have read that the best prevention is to:
1.) not linger in a single spot but keep moving and
2.) don't "air dry" when you get out of the water....use a towel. this seems to remove the parasite.

My youngest son (who LOVES to swim) gets very nervous if I mention swimming in Winni since his duck itch incident. Not every area of the lake seems to have it.

I am going with the Geese and their over population, they got to go!

geese hunt
 

I agree with the increase in Geese. They are all over Meredith and making a mess everywhere they go. But when my kids were getting duck itch really bad about 15 years ago, I don't recall alot of geese around at that time. I have seen the increase in geese I'd say over the last 5 years or so.

Pond rats. I live on a small pond and they make an absolute mess.

No question, it's much more common than when I was a kid. The cause is indeed a parasite and some people are more susceptible to an allergic reaction than others. The worst offender for spreading the parasite is actually the mergansers (the small brown ducks with "Mohawk" like feathers on their heads). There is some very good information on line if you search under duct itch. (Best not to read while eating lunch :D) My kids had some bad cases in the past but since we started having them put on sun tan lotion before they went swimming, we really haven't had an issue. Something in the lotion seems to keep the parasites from being able to do their thing. Staying out of shallow water and toweling off right away when getting out are also good suggestions. July 4th week does unfortunately seem to be the peak of the cycle for outbreaks on Winnipesaukee.

Sorry to bump a 2013 thread but I have a duck itch question.
My two boys and I have visited the Misquamicut RI beaches twice in the last three weeks. Both visits my oldest son came home with what sounds like duck itch. My youngest, nothing.
On our second visit I swam and came home with a rash or irritation on my stomach along with my oldest having rashes again. We also have scraps and scratches from riding waves and hitting the bottom so I'm pretty sure which is which.

Is there a chance duck itch isn't 'duck' itch and there is something else in the water causing this?

As of yet none of us have encountered duck itch at the lake when we swim.
Just figured I'd ask and see if there is a common known bacteria that is found in both fresh and salt water and the ducks are being used as scapegoats?

There isn't a definite answer as I don't know what you and your boys have. But, so-called duck itch ( or swimmers itch) can occur in both salt and fresh water and is usually associated with migratory water fowl. Your rashes certainly could be duck itch.The rash can have many forms but is usually on the exposed areas.

Seabathers itch occurs only in salt water, the organism is different and is on the covered parts of the body. But the water up here is too cold and in the US this is usually seen mainly in Forida.

Yes, many years ago my friends and I swam in the ocean water of Long Island Sound in CT. The next day everyone was covered in duck itch like rashes. We were told it was bacterial.


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