Beware of jellyfish larvae as bathers head for the beach

They're back.

Bathers at Hibiscus Coast beaches are reporting rashes thought to be caused by jellyfish larvae.

Pharmacies have seen an increase in people seeking treatment for the problem.

The rash is caused by jellyfish and some sea anemone larvae stings during warm conditions.

"We had none the whole year, until a couple of weeks ago. We've two or three people coming in every day," Manly Care Chemist pharmacist Marian Kelly says.

Whangaparaoa Radius Pharmacy had on average five customers daily during the past fortnight. "It's a lot of people coming in. I saw about four or five customers last Thursday on my own," dispensary manager and pharmacist Tania Iskenderian says. "A customer was stung at Stanmore Bay Beach, and another at Manly."

Ms Kelly says they have been getting cases from Manly, and Tiritiri Matangi where people have gone diving.

"We're located in Manly, so we're getting people who have just come in from the beach," she says.

Bathers feel a tingling sensation when in the water. Rashes typically develop underneath the bathing costume, where the jellyfish larvae are trapped. Itching can last for several weeks, and some people may feel unwell.

Rubbing with a towel makes it worse.

"As soon as bathers leave the sea they must get out of their swimsuit and have a shower," Ms Kelly says. "Don't shower with swimsuits on as freshwater irritates the jellyfish pods, causing them to sting.

"The bathing suits must be machine washed and tumbled dry.

"Some people handwash it, and hang it on the line, but the larvae can still sting. It's your skin squishing against it, activating the larvae toxin."

Beachgoers should give their bathing suits a thorough wash and hang them in the sun if a dryer is not available.

"Have at least two togs handy, so you've one spare to change into," Ms Kelly says.

Treatments include antihistamine and lotions.

Sea bather's eruption, reported in the Rodney Times last year during early February, is sometimes blamed on sea lice.

- © Fairfax NZ News