County warning at Duck Lake

“Testing indicated that there are toxic levels in Duck Lake,” says Eric B. Khambatta of Grays Harbor County Department of Public Services.

The press release:

The Grays Harbor County Division of Environmental Health and the Washington State Department of Ecology is advising the public of a harmful algae bloom in Duck Lake.  

After recently being alerted to the bloom, a water sample was collected and submitted to the King County Environmental Laboratories. The water was found to have elevated levels of microcystin, a cyanobacterial toxin which poses a health concern to humans, pets, livestock and wildlife.  Officials will continue to monitor the status of the bloom and collect additional samples until the bloom has dissipated.  Until the collected samples have indicated that the water is safe, officials are advising that the public avoid contact with water containing the algae and to keep pets away from the water.  

Because exposure to blue-green algae can cause disease, public health officials continue to recommend:

No swimming or wading

No water skiing, wind surfing or sail boarding

No water contact for animals

Precautions against contact with water while boating or fishing

Can cyanobacteria make me sick? 

Yes. People may develop allergic reactions such as skin rash, hives, itchy eyes and throat if they come in contact with water containing cyanobacteria that are producing toxins. Swimming, water-skiing, and wind surfing are examples of recreational activities during which dermal exposure to toxins may occur. Some symptoms caused by cyanobacteria exposure may be similar to those caused by “swimmer’s itch,” a condition that has been reported among bathers in many Washington lakes.   Swimmer’s itch may occur on any exposed skin and can cause a sharp burning and itching in affected areas.  Small reddish bumps surrounded by a zone of redness may appear within twelve hours after swimming.  Itching due to swimmer’s itch is intense. If you come in contact with water containing blue-green algae toxins or swimmer’s itch, rinse off your body as soon as possible. 

Long-term exposure to water with microcystins has been shown to promote liver tumors in animals. For this reason, people and animals should not drink water from a source with a cyanobacterial bloom. It is possible for more severe illness to occur if cyanobacterial toxins are swallowed. Consult a physician if someone ingests water with cyanobacteria and has any of the following symptoms:  stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, headache, and severe muscle or joint pain.

If someone shows signs of seizure or convulsions after swimming or drinking water where cyanobacteria are present, they should seek immediate medical attention. 

What about children? 

Children have less relative body weight than adults; a smaller quantity of the toxin may trigger an adverse response in a child’s liver or central nervous system. Also, children may be at greater risk than adults because they may not be aware of any health risks due to a cyanobacterial bloom and may swallow water accidentally while swimming. Although teenagers and young adults may think that it is fun to play in the scums, this is not a good thing to do.

How can I be exposed?

You can be exposed to cyanobacteria and cyanobacterial toxins by swimming or drinking water where cyanobacteria are present. You can also be exposed by breathing air that contains cyanobacterial cells or toxins. Wind surfing, jet-skiing, boating, or watering lawns are activities where this might occur. 

Dietary supplements contaminated with cyanobacterial toxins are another potential route of exposure. Bluegreen algae products are consumed in the United States, Canada, and Europe for their reported beneficial effects, including increased energy and elevated mood.  Many of these products contain Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, a cyanobacteria that is harvested from Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, where the growth of Microcystis aeruginosa is a regular occurrence. M. aeruginosa produces microcystins, which are potent hepatotoxins and probable tumor promoters. Because M. aeruginosa coexists with A. flos-aquae, it can be accidentally collected during harvesting and can result in microcystin contamination of dietary products. 

How can I minimize risks? 

Avoid swimming, wading, wind surfing and water-skiing in waterbodies where cyanobacterial blooms are present. 

Avoid drinking untreated surface water. 

Follow advice provided by local health jurisdictions. These agencies generally post recreational areas with signs to inform the public of the presence of cyanobacterial blooms.  

Can cyanobacteria make my pet sick? 

Yes. Animals are also sensitive to cyanobacterial toxins. Pets and wildlife are likely to ingest algae when they drink water from a lake or pond with cyanobacteria. If toxins are being produced at the time animals drink the water, the animals can become very ill and even die. 

Dogs can be exposed to toxins by licking cyanobacteria from their fur after swimming. Don’t let pets or livestock swim or drink in areas where there is a scum or mat of algae on the water. If they do swim in such areas, rinse them off as soon as you can.  

Symptoms of exposure to cyanobacterial toxins include loss of appetite, vomiting, weakness, seizures difficulty breathing and convulsions.  Neurological symptoms, including salivation, can appear within 15 to 20 minutes of exposure.  If your animals show any of these symptoms, seek veterinary advice.  Be sure to tell your veterinarian that your animal may have come into contact with cyanobacterial toxins. 

Should pets or livestock drink or swim in water containing algal blooms? 

No. Animals can become extremely ill and die after swallowing water containing toxic cyanobacteria. The number of reports suggesting that algal toxins have played a role in the deaths of dogs has increased over the past decade.  

In one of the first cases reported in Washington State, four pedigreed dogs died in September 1976 after drinking water from Long Lake near Spokane during a toxic Anabaena bloom. Other cyanobacterial blooms have been reported in eastern Washington, including a 1982 toxic bloom in Moses Lake that caused the deaths of two hunting dogs.  In 1989, the first toxic cyanobacterial bloom west of the Cascade Mountains in Washington was documented in American Lake, Pierce County.  This event caused the deaths of five cats. More recently, a toxic bloom in Lake Anderson, Jefferson County, Washington, caused the deaths of two dogs and a 2007 toxic bloom in the Potholes Reservoir that also caused the deaths of two hunting dogs.

Can I eat fish from contaminated water? 

Microcystins can accumulate in fish tissues, especially in the viscera (liver, kidneys, etc.).  Concentrations in the tissues would depend on the bloom severity where the fish was caught. Take caution when considering consumption of fish caught in a water body where major cyanobacterial blooms occur. Before eating, remove the internal organs, which may contain more of the algae/toxin. 

Anadromous fish such as salmon and steelhead that migrate into a water body with a bloom may not have had an opportunity to concentrate much of the toxin and are less likely to be contaminated.

 http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/algae/monitoring/AlgaeBlooms.html What is an Algae Bloom?

Scientists do not know exactly when or why blue-green algae release toxins. Many Washington lakes and even some rivers have problems with excessive growth of algae. Algae can be smelly and unsightly as well as being toxic to humans, pets, and livestock. Algae grow rapidly when sunlight, temperature, and nutrients are adequate. Within only a few days, a clear lake can become cloudy with algae. When an algal species reproduces rapidly and reaches high concentrations, it is called an algae bloom. The nutrients phosphorus and nitrogen are found in animal and human waste (sewage), in fertilizers, and even in rainwater. Too much phosphorus and nitrogen lead to nutrient rich water bodies. Nutrient-enrichment leads to algae blooms. 

There are many types of algae. Most are harmless, some are considered nuisances, and others are important to lake productivity. Blue-green algae are actually bacteria called cyanobacteria. They can create problems when they form blooms. The blooms happen mostly in the summer or fall, but can occur anytime. Blue-green blooms may float to the surface and can be several inches thick near the shoreline. A blue-green algae bloom often looks like green paint floating on the water and is hard to pick up or hold.  

 HYPERLINK “http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/algae/publichealth/GeneralCyanobacteria.html” Why Ecology is particularly concerned about blue-green algae?

Blue-green algae blooms pose a human health concern and have killed pets and livestock. Although most blue-green blooms are not toxic, some blue-green algae produce nervous system or liver toxins. Toxicity is hard to predict. A single species of algae can have toxic and non-toxic strains. A bloom that tests non-toxic one day can become toxic the next day. 

People may become ill after swimming or water skiing in lakes with toxic blue-green algae. Human health effects may include stomach pains, vomiting, diarrhea, skin rashes, and nerve and liver damage. Pets and wildlife have died after exposure to toxic blue-green algae in Washington lakes. Blue-green blooms affect lake recreation creating economic losses. 

Grays Harbor County Division of Environmental Health may be unaware of other potential blue-green algal blooms in the county. The public can watch for conditions of blue-green algal blooms and to report them at 360-249-4413. Conditions may include:

Water that looks like thick pea soup or green paint

A thick mat or foam on the beach

An unpleasant odor

Extremely small organisms which are hard to pick up and hold, unlike more common but harmless green algae, which have long, bright green strands.

Dead fish, waterfowl, or other animals

More information on algae can be found at http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/algae.