It should only be fun boy gets hookworms after a harmless beach game

It should be fun: teenager catches dangerous parasite worms on the beach

In the state of Florida, a teenager has been infected with dangerous hookworms. The 17-year-old was with friends on the beach and let them dig in the sand. There, the parasitic worms have invaded his body and have led to a lengthy infection with painful effects.

Painful infections

According to media reports, 17-year-old Michael Dumas from Memphis, Tennessee made a trip to Pompano Beach in South Florida on June 20 with some friends. The teenagers had a good time photographing each other and finally digging Michael in the sand. That was a fatal mistake because it gave the boy a painful infection with parasite worms. Other members of the group were also infected.

How dangerous it can be to walk barefoot on the beach or even dig into the sand, a teenager in the US had to learn. He was involved in a serious infection with hookworms. (Image: Thaut Images / fotolia.com)

Blisters and bumps on the legs

According to a report by "CBS Miami," the teenager suffered from earache after the day at the beach and experienced a rash with painful blisters and bumps on his feet and legs.

The doctors quickly diagnosed a serious case of hookworm. According to the information, at least four more people from the group became infected on this day.

Michael's mother, Kelli Dumas, described how her son's feet swelled from the infection and how it was when dermatologists froze the worms on the boy's body.

"When they used the liquid nitrogen, he could actually feel the worms moving in his body," she told Action News Jax..

Boy still needs to be treated

According to the US Department of Health (CDC), hookworm larvae can penetrate the skin of humans.

As a result, the infections are usually caused by barefoot running on contaminated soils.

According to media reports, Michael Dumas still has to be treated at home and, among other things, soak his feet in bleach water every day.

Wear better shoes on the beach

The Dumas family had contacted Florida district officials to warn others about the parasites on Pompano Beach, but said they did not get help.

"How many people have been on the beach since June 19?", The mother should have asked the responsible health authority.

"How many people have been on the beach since I called them on July 17?" The authorities told her it was not their job to take care of it.

She also said on social media that the health department Pompano Beach told her that everyone knows you should wear shoes on the beach, because otherwise you can get parasites.

But she replied, "I assure you, everyone does not know that!"

Terrible holiday

How dangerous beach walks can be without shoes, a few months ago, a couple from Canada had to learn.

The two traveled to the Dominican Republic and were also infected with hookworms.

Even with them, the itching spots developed into painful swollen blisters and unusual bumps. Her vacation ended in nightmare. (Ad)