After recent reports surfaced of children developing skin infections after swimming in Alabama lakes — including Logan Martin Lake — medical experts are advising swimmers to bathe after exposing their skin to natural bodies of water.

In a story that collected significant attention on Facebook, a local child allegedly broke out in sores after swimming in Logan Martin recently. In addition, area media reported this weekend that a 4-year-old showed similar symptoms after a swim in Smith Lake.

According to WIAT in Birmingham, the child’s mother reported her son’s pediatrician diagnosed the boy with a staph infection stemming from swimming in Smith Lake. Other reports of skin infections — ranging from rashes to impetigo and staph — have also been reported by people who swam in Lake Martin.

The Alabama Department of Environmental Management is in charge of monitoring water quality for natural bodies of water, like Smith Lake. However, the agency only tests for e-coli.

“Staph infections can be contracted from anywhere,” said Lynn Battle, ADEM spokeswoman. “ADEM doesn’t test for staph. We’re not aware of a mass outbreak of infections related to swimming in lakes.”

The National Institute of Health reports that staph is a type of bacteria that lives on skin of many healthy people.

“Most of the time, the germ does not cause an infection or symptoms,” an article on nih.com reads. “Staph germs can enter a break in the skin, such as cuts, scratches, or pimples… Usually the infection is minor and stays in the skin. But the infection can spread deeper and affect the blood, bones, or joints. Organs such as the lungs, heart, or brain can also be affected. Serious cases can be life-threatening.”

The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) would be the agency responsible for issuing any public alerts or warnings for water quality concerns. Dr. Karen Landers, a pediatrician who works for the agency, said she wasn’t aware of any alerts or swimming restrictions for Alabama lakes.

“With any natural body of water, there’s going to be bacteria,” she said. “Wild animals are going in and out of it, and we can’t stop that from happening. And children are going to have scrapes and bug bites. I would caution parents to rinse their children well after they get out of the water to reduce the bacteria on the skin to prevent infections like impetigo.”

Anyone with skin infections should avoid swimming in natural bodies of water like lakes to prevent further exposure to bacteria, she said.

Staph does not survive long in recreational water like pools and hot tubs that maintain recommended pH and chlorine levels. It is most likely to spread when it comes into contact with an uncovered cut or scrape.

NIH also reports that staph germs are most likely spread by skin-to-skin contact, so minimize using clothing and towels used by others.

“You should take personal measures to keep the skin as clean as possible,” Landers said. 

Cullman Times reporter Tiffeny Owens contributed to this report. The Cullman Times is a sister publication of the St. Clair News-Aegis owned by Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.