Freshwater: How Common Are Single-Celled Organism Parasitic Diseases?

[AtlantisDreamer]

I have another question... Especially for those who are familiar with swimming in freshwater... My father was a professional "salt water sportsman" (catch and release fishing in the ocean), and I was always taught by all the men that fished saltwater to stay away from freshwater, especially swimming in it because there are these parasitic diseases that come from single-celled organisms that flourish in the stagnant water... I know I've certainly seen my fair share of fish caught from lakes that have worms in them... Now, I know that most lakes one would consider clean enough to swim in still frequently have stagnant areas around the beaches in little marshy areas and stuff, especially in my climate. What is the protocol for swimming in freshwater, how common are parasites, and what should you do if you accidentally inhale or gulp water? Do people still get typhoid fever and cholera?

[Arella]

A lot of it depends on the water. Stagnant water is never very clean. I live around the great lakes though so usually those are pretty safe. But ask me to go in a pound? Nope!

[Blondie]

Yeah stagnant water is gross. It looks like a retention pond. It won't be even tempting to swim in that.

If water is moving a little like in springs, you'll be okay. I mean it is rare to get one of those. There have been a few who have caught it but I'm still going to say the odds are low. It's a good idea to keep it in mind and not swim with your mouth open, without goggles, or taste the water willingly. You can take extra precautions by getting a nose plug and ear plugs. Only swim in areas that are designated to swim in. Don't go hunting in the back of the woods and find a random pond to jump in.

Also a lot of those parasitic diseases are down south. The water has to be warm for them to live in it (think bathwater temperature). You're in Northern California soooo I think you're pretty safe

[Ayla of Duluth]

I swim in Lake Superior because it really doesn't have any stagnant areas where water can sit and fester. Also, (and don't quote me on this) I've heard that the water in Lake Superior is too cold for any bacteria that could be harmful to humans to live in. Smaller lakes like those with cabins on the edge where people fish off of pontoons and you can see the opposite end of the lake I'm more cautious about but haven't had any issues with sickness. Usually you can just tell by looking at the water's cleanliness whether it would be safe for you to go for a swim in or not. As far as swallowing water, small amounts shouldn't harm you. As long as you don't go gulping it down. I know I've drank straight from a few streams in my neighborhood and haven't gotten sick at all. I wouldn't worry about it much.

[SeaSister]

I've gone swimming plenty of times in fresh water and never even knew about such parasites... lol? (= nervous laughter)

Anyways, I live in Canada (southern BC) so I'm pretty sure the water here is always too cold for such parasites (but I don't know much about them, so I could be wrong). Like Ayla, though, it's not something I would worry too much about... I sort of think of it as being like when you're a little kid and you eat dirt, or eating raw cookie dough. Sure, there's a risk that there's some parasitic worm in that teaspoon-sized bit of dirt, or that particular drop of that particular raw egg has salmonella, but for me, I don't think it's worth going my whole life without licking the spoon for fear of contracting an illness! Some people have different attitudes, obviously, but I think as long as you're not out-right dumb (like the idiots who stick forks in electrical sockets) then you should be okay.

[Echinacea]

Most of the icky nasty parasitic diseases that have been popping up in news stories lately have been from warm water pools. My family had two ponds on our property in VT, and we swam in them all summer and never had any problems. Also, I used to practically live in the water when we were up at my great-aunt's summer cottage on Lake Waukewan in NH, and that is part of the town's water supply! I've swam more in freshwater in my life than salt water, and never had any troubles, other than an occasional ear ache when younger, due to not getting the water to drain out. So I would take reasonable precautions, like making sure to drain your ears (as best as you can) and you will probably be just fine in freshwater!

(I prefer freshwater to salt, since I don't have to worry about tides and taking showers after I swim to wash off the salt!)

[SeaGlass Siren]

Lake Ontario :P if you accidentally taste the water nothing bad will come out of it despite the lake being super dirty

[Echidna]

As others have said, I think it depends on the temperature (and the region).

I wouldn't set a foot in any african water- you can contract a lethal disease there by merely walking over the mud!-,
but I've swum often in lakes as a child in Europe and never got a disease from that, much less a parasite.

There might be exceptions, but most dangerous stuff lives in water warmer than 25°C, and most lakes/springs/rivers outside the tropics are colder than that.

[AtlantisDreamer]

There's a famous lake here in California called Lake Tahoe. It is extremely deep, one of the deepest lakes in the USA I believe (but don't quote me on that). Most of the water is arctic run-off and in the winter it has ice bergs and sheets of ice over certain parts of it. During the summer, it's still icy cold. I think that lake would probably be okay. It's also got a beauty reputation on how blue the water is and how clear it is. It's two hours away though. On the otherhand, there's this lake called Lake Berryessa only about twenty minutes away, and although it's quite large and they run a dam off it, it looks sticky, nasty and has pond scum all over the top of it. People swim in it all summer anyway though. Then there's the ocean which is two hours away in the other direction... It's a rocky ocean and I can't figure out how to get in there... I guess you'd have to put the fin on in the water after you've swum out pass the breakers, and then take it off in the same manner, cause you certainly couldn't, or shouldn't be scooting around on rocks or sand in a fabric tail... I used to surf and I've actually gone out in red tide a few times and didn't get sick, so it's probably no big deal. As for Lake Berryessa, well, I think the people that do swim in that are about of the intelligence level of thinking that sticking a fork in an electrical socket might be a fun idea - steering clear of that lake. Thanks everyone for the feedback. Here are some photos of Lake Tahoe, and then a couple of Lake Berryessa...






And, Lake Berryessa... These pictures give it far too much justice I might add... Look at the last one and you can how swampy it is in this picture of one of the boat docks...

[AtlantisDreamer]

Hmm... I just thought of something... You might need a dry suit or at least a 5mm or maybe even a 7mm wetsuit for Lake Tahoe. You can see how cold it is just by looking at it (notice the elevation and all the ski resorts on the map). Lake Berryessa is actually bigger than I realized and might be okay, but if it's winter, you'd probably need a 3mm wetsuit there, too. Hmm...

[vordt]

A similar story happened to me six months ago. Then my friends and I went on an all-night fishing trip and when we got bored, we decided to go for a swim. Unfortunately, we were not aware that there were parasites in that lake. I found out about it 2 months after the fishing trip, when my doctor discovered a whole zoo inside my body. He immediately recommended that I buy niclosamid 500mg capsules and I decided to listen and it was definitely the right decision, because with the help of this product I was able to quickly get rid of all parasites in my body.