What is Toxic Algae?
Certain species of Blue-green algae (a.k.a. cyanobacteria) have the ability to produce toxins. Toxic blue-green algae can dominate the algal populations of a lake under the right combinations of water temperature, low water depths, and nutrients. Risks and symptoms: Pets and livestock have died from drinking water containing toxic blue-green algae. The risks to humans comes from external exposure (prolonged contact with skin) and from swallowing the water. Symptoms from external exposure are skin rashes, lesions and blisters. More severe cases can include mouth ulcers, ulcers inside the nose, eye and/or ear irritation and blistering of the lips. Symptoms from ingestion can include headaches, nausea, muscular pains, central abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting. Severe cases could include seizures, liver failure, respiratory arrest-even death, although this is rare. The severity of the illness is related to the amount of water ingested, and the concentrations of the toxins.
