swimmer's itch

noun

: a severe urticarial reaction to the presence in the skin of larval schistosomes

Examples of swimmer's itch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

O'Brien said to his knowledge the city has received zero complaints about swimmer's itch so far this season — though hot weather and heavy lake use is just ramping up this week. —Michelle Theriault Boots, Anchorage Daily News, 4 July 2018

However, swimming in Alaska lakes and ponds can also cause this uncomfortable thing called duck itch, or swimmer's itch. —Alli Harvey, Anchorage Daily News, 9 July 2018

Lake swimmers' biggest complaint tends to be swimmer's itch, a harmless but annoying rash caused by an invisible parasite found in lake water. —Michelle Theriault Boots, Anchorage Daily News, 4 July 2018

The Waukesha County Department of Parks and Land Use fact sheet on swimmer's itch describes it as an allergic reaction to the larvae of a water snail parasite. —Henry J. Morgan, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 15 June 2018

While the beach is otherwise ready to go, swimmer's itch has been reported at Menomonee Park. —Henry J. Morgan, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 15 June 2018

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

swimmer's itch

noun

: an itching inflammation that is a reaction to the invasion of the skin by schistosomes that are not normally parasites of humans

called also schistosome dermatitis