Know What Cyanobacteria Blooms Look Like to Keep Your Family and Pets Safe
WATERBURY, VT – Wondering what’s floating in Vermont’s natural waters? Though the spring brought heavy pollen accumulation on some bodies of water, now is the time to be on the lookout for cyanobacteria, especially as you are looking to escape the heat.
With the official start of summer and warm weather, blooms of cyanobacteria (also known as blue-green algae) have begun to appear, and health officials want you to know what these potentially hazardous blooms look like so you can avoid them.
Cyanobacteria are tiny microorganisms that are a natural part of freshwater ecosystems. Under certain conditions, cyanobacteria can multiply quickly, create blooms on the water’s surface and wash up along shorelines. They can produce toxins harmful to humans and animals.
Swimming or wading in water with a cyanobacteria bloom may cause skin rashes, diarrhea, a sore throat, stomach problems, or more serious health concerns.
“Exposure to cyanobacteria can harm your health. It can be especially dangerous to children who accidentally swallow the water when playing, and for pets that may drink from the shoreline or swallow the cyanobacteria when licking water off their coats,” said Bridget O’Brien, an environmental health scientist with the Department of Health.
How to know what a bloom looks like
Cyanobacteria blooms are usually green or blue-green and can make the water look like pea soup or spilled paint, but they can be other colors and consistencies too.
“It’s important to know what you are literally getting into,” said O’Brien. “Cyanobacteria blooms thrive in warm water, and as water temperatures rise, there will be more blooms showing up on lakes, ponds and beaches. If the water looks discolored, or even if you’re not sure if it’s a bloom – play it safe and find a different spot,” said O’Brien.
The Health Department has a Cyanobacteria Tracker where people can check reported conditions along Lake Champlain and various inland lakes in Vermont. The map shows where cyanobacteria blooms have been reported recently, but it can't tell you what the conditions are currently at your favorite swimming area.
People can also report and upload photos of suspected cyanobacteria blooms using the Tracker’s online form. The reports are reviewed by experts from the Departments of Health and Environmental Conservation and the Lake Champlain Committee. Confirmed reports are posted on the Cyanobacteria Tracker.
Bloom conditions can and do change quickly, and not all locations are monitored. Vermonters should learn what blooms commonly look like, and always pay attention to any posted warning and closure signs. People can also check with their town for conditions at locally managed beaches.
If you think it’s a cyanobacteria bloom:
Avoid contact with the water.
Do not let pets or livestock swim in or drink the water.
If you come in contact with cyanobacteria, rinse off thoroughly as soon as possible.
Talk with your health care provider if you have concerns about possible exposure.
Learn more about cyanobacteria and how to stay safe in the water:
The Lake Champlain Committee coordinates a program of volunteer cyanobacteria monitors. To get involved, email lcc@lakechamplaincommittee.org.
SWIM SAFETY
Heavy rainfall and floods have led to dangerously fast-moving water. People and pets should stay out of any body of water after a flooding event. Even in normal conditions, it’s best to wait 48 hours after a storm to go in the water.
Conditions of high water and strong undercurrents can linger several days after a storm. Even strong swimmers are at high risk of injury or death. Many rivers, ponds, lakes and streams have been contaminated by disease-causing microorganisms, fuel, debris, and wastewater runoff.
Swimming in contaminated water can result in skin rashes, sore throats, diarrhea or more serious problems from bacterial infection. Unseen hazards and debris are also dangerous for recreational boating.
Pay attention to posted information at beaches and other swim areas.
PREVENT TICK BITES AND TICK BITE ILLNESSES
Whenever you spend time outdoors, it’s possible there are ticks nearby. Take simple steps to protect yourself and your loved ones from tick bites and the illnesses they can spread.
Protect
The best way to prevent tick bite illnesses is to prevent tick bites. Before heading outdoors, protect yourself from tick bites:
1. Avoid areas where ticks live.
2. Wear protective clothing and gear
3. Use insect repellent
4. Protect and check your pets.
Check
Check for ticks after spending time in tick habitats.
Check your clothing, gear, and pets for ticks before going inside.
Check your body and your child’s body. Scan under arms, in and around ears, around the waist, and between the legs. Using a handheld or full-length mirror can help.
Take a shower to help wash off unattached ticks and to find ticks more easily.
Put clothes in the dryer on high heat for ten minutes to kill any unattached ticks carried inside. If clothes are damp, more time may be needed. Clothes that require washing should be washed with hot water, as cold and medium temperatures will not kill ticks.
Remove
Remove any attached ticks right away.
It takes a few simple steps to remove attached ticks on your own. The longer a tick is attached, the greater the risk it can spread bacteria if it is infected, so remove it as soon as you can.
Finding an attached tick might be scary. There is no need to visit the emergency room or health care provider for the removal of a tick. Ask a family member or friend to help if you have trouble removing the tick.
Use clean, fine-tipped tweezers or a tick removal tool and grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
Pull the tick upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth parts with tweezers. If you cannot remove the mouth easily with tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
Clean your hands and the bite area with rubbing alcohol, soap, and water.
Dispose of a live tick by putting it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag or container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet. Never crush a tick with your fingers.
Many people won’t notice that they’ve had a tick bite. Tick bites don’t hurt—and may or may not itch. If you don't find the tick and remove it first, it will fall off on its own once it is full. This usually happens after a few days, but it can sometimes take up to two weeks.
When are antibiotics recommended after a tick bite?
Should removed ticks be sent in for testing?
Found a tick and wondering if you need to seek medical care?
Use this online tool to assist you when removing attached ticks and determining whether you need to seek care. The tool will recommend actions and resources based on your responses to questions about your tick bite.
Watch
Watch for symptoms for 30 days after a tick bite and tell your provider if you get sick.
Symptoms of a tick bite illness may include fever, chills, rash, headache, joint pain, muscle aches, fatigue, or a rash. Most people with Lyme disease will have a rash, but other tick bite illnesses in Vermont do not cause a rash. The rash starts as redness near the tick bite area and can sometimes grow to look like a bull’s-eye.
Contact your health care provider if you develop any symptoms, and tell them about your recent tick bite, when the bite occurred, and your outdoor activities. Some tick bite illnesses can be treated with a short course of antibiotics. Most people who begin treatment early on fully recover.
PREVENT MOSQUITO BITES
In Vermont, mosquito season begins in the spring, but does not typically pose a health risk until the summer months. By July, some mosquitoes may be carrying viruses that cause diseases like West Nile virus (WNV) or Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE).
It is important to take precautions to prevent mosquito bites to protect yourself from these diseases. This can be done by protecting yourself from mosquitoes and preventing mosquitoes from breeding around your house.
Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors.
Limit the amount of time you spend outdoors at dawn and dusk.
Use insect repellent labeled as effective against mosquitoes. Apply repellent when you are going to be outdoors, especially at dawn or dusk.
Cover baby carriages or outdoor playpens with mosquito netting.
Fix any holes in your screens and make sure they are tightly attached to doors and windows.
Mosquitoes breed in standing water that lasts more than four days. To reduce the number of mosquitoes around your house, get rid of standing water. You can do that by taking these actions:
Dispose of, or regularly empty, any metal cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots, and other water holding containers (including trash cans) on your property.
Dispose of, or regularly empty, discarded tires.
Drill holes in the bottom of recycling containers that are left outdoors so water can drain out.
Clean clogged roof gutters of leaves and debris that prevent drainage of rainwater.
Turn over plastic wading pools and wheelbarrows when not in use.
Change bird bath water every three to four days.
Aerate ornamental ponds or stock them with fish.
Keep swimming pools clean and properly chlorinated.
Remove standing water from pool covers.
Use landscaping to eliminate standing water that collects on your property.
Insect Repellents
Insect repellents help people avoid both mosquito and tick bites. This helps prevent illnesses carried by mosquitoes and ticks. Use repellents that are registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These products have been evaluated for their safety and effectiveness. Look for the EPA-registration number on the label. The length of protection varies with the type of active ingredient, air temperature, amount of physical activity and perspiration, water exposure and other factors. Reapply repellents as directed on the label.
Most of the EPA-registered mosquito repellent products contain one of the following ingredients: DEET, oil of lemon eucalyptus, picaridin, or IR3535. These products are safe when used carefully following the directions on the label. Each of these ingredients has been registered with the EPA. EPA registration of repellent active ingredients means that the ingredients have been reviewed and approved for effectiveness and human safety when applied according to the instructions on the label. There are other repellent products that can be applied directly to skin. These provide some protection from mosquito bites, but may not offer the same level of protection or last as long as the products listed.
Repellents for use on clothing:
Permethrin on clothing, shoes, bed nets, and camping gear repels mosquitoes and other insects, and maintains this effect after laundering. This may be a good choice for people who spend a lot of time outside.
Products containing DEET can also be used on clothing.