Though difficult, try not to scratch. Scratching may cause the rash to become infected. If itching is severe, your health care provider may suggest prescription-strength lotions or creams to lessen your symptoms.

Can swimmer’s itch be spread from person-to-person?
Swimmer’s itch is not contagious and cannot be spread from one person to another.

Who is at risk for swimmer’s itch?
Anyone who swims or wades in infested water may be at risk. The parasites are more likely to be present in shallow water by the shoreline. Children are most often affected because they tend to swim, wade, and play in the shallow water more than adults. Also, they are less likely to towel dry themselves when leaving the water.

Once an outbreak of swimmer’s itch has occurred in water, will the water always be unsafe?
No. Many factors must be present for swimmer's itch to become a problem in water. Since these factors change (sometimes within a swim season) swimmer's itch will not always be a problem. However, there is no way to know how long water may be unsafe.

Is it safe to swim in my swimming pool?
Yes, as long as your swimming pool is well maintained and chlorinated, there is no risk of swimmer’s itch.

What can be done to reduce the risk of swimmer’s itch?
To reduce the likelihood of developing swimmer's itch