Health department urges caution after blue-green algae found in Lake Ashby

Blue-green algae was found in Lake Ashby on Tuesday, and the Florida Department of Health is urging people to use caution in the area because toxins could be present.

Officials are conducting water sampling in the lake, which is in southern Volusia County northeast of Osteen.

Some algae ― which "are plant-like organisms that sustain marine life " ― can overpopulate into blooms, and some of those algae blooms can spread toxins that are harmful to people, animals and ecosystems, according to the health department.

"There are several species of blue-green algae (also known as cyanobacteria) that can occur in Florida’s fresh or brackish waterbodies , many of which have the potential to produce toxins," according to the health department.

Exposure to blue-green algae can make people sick and case "rashes, stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. People who are very sensitive to smells can have respiratory irritation. Sometimes, high exposures of toxin can affect the liver and nervous system."

Blue-green algae blooms aren't just blue and green. They can have a variety of colors mixed in, including brown and red. They look similar to paint streaks on the water's surface, "dense scum" or foam, and they can be stinky.

People who believe they are sick or might have come into contact with blue-green algae should contact a doctor or the Florida Poison Information Center at 1-800-222-1222.

The Florida Department of Health in Volusia County issued the following tips:

• Don't drink, swim, wade, use personal watercraft, water ski or boat in the water where there is a visible bloom.
• Wash your skin and clothing with soap and water if you have contact with algae or discolored or smelly water.
• Keep pets away from the area. Waters that have algae blooms are not safe for animals. Pets and livestock should have a different source of water when algae blooms are present.
• Don't cook or clean dishes with water contaminated by algae blooms. Boiling the water won't eliminate the toxins.
• Eating fillets from healthy fish caught in freshwater lakes experiencing blooms is safe. Rinse fish fillets with tap or bottled water and cook fish to an appropriate temperature.
• Don't eat shellfish in waters with algae blooms.

Call the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to report algal blooms at 855-305-3903 or report them online at reportalgalbloom.com . People can speak to a poison specialist about symptoms from exposure to algal blooms or other aquatic toxins by calling the Florida Poison Information Center at 800-222-1222.

People should call a veterinarian if a pet gets sick from eating or coming into contact with algae-contaminated water.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection and other agencies collect samples in spots where algae blooms have been reported. People can review the reports at floridadep.gov/AlgalBloom and protectingfloridatogether.gov.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Health department urges caution after blue-green algae found in Lake Ashby