At a Glance

Water samples collected on the St. Lucie River contain high levels of microcystin, a toxin that can make people sick. If ingested, water contaminated with the toxin can cause nausea, vomiting and, in severe cases, acute liver failure.Coming in direct contact with the algaecan result in a rash.

A blue-green,cyanobacteria bloom in southeast Florida's St. Lucie River is 10 times too toxic to touch, recent testingshows.

Water samples collected Aug. 2 on the river's north shore by the Florida Department of Environmental Protectioncontained the at a rate of 110 parts per billion.The World Health Organization sayslevels above are hazardous for humans in recreational waters.

Another sample collected July 5 at the St. Lucie Lock and Dam, where waters from Lake Okeechobee are dischargedinto the St. Lucie River, had an even higherlevel of154.38 parts per billion.

Between July 24 and Aug. 6, at least 86 people sought treated in area hospitals and clinics after coming intocontactwith , TC Palm reports.

"It's just two weeks of data," Dr.Michael Romano, Martin Health System's head of infectious diseases and control, toldthe newspaper."But it's starting to show that the algae blooms are a health hazard, and people are getting sick because of that hazard."

While high, the levels don't rival the amount of microcystin detected in the river in 2016, when water samples collected in Central Marine contained microcystin at a rate of 33,000 parts per billion.

Cites reporting blue-green algae in Florida, as of Aug. 10, 2018.

(Florida Department of Environmental Protection)

Blue-green algae blooms are occurring in, according to Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Rivers in which water is being discharged from Lake Okeechobee are particularly vulnerable to the algae.

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Meanwhile, on the other side of the Floridapeninsula, the has left droves of dead animals on Gulf beaches near Fort Myers.

According to the Aug. 8 FWC , low to high concentrations of Karenia brevis, the formal name for red tides, were reported in waters off Lee, Charlotte, Manatee, Sarasota and Collier counties. Low concentrations were also found in waters off Pinellas County.

In July, Gov.Rick Scottdeclared a state of emergencyforPalm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Glades, Hendry, Lee and Okeechobee counties because of the blooms.

Difference Between Red Tides and Blue-Green Algae

Although often mistakenly used interchangeably, red tides and blue-green algae blooms are very different.

are naturally occurring algae blooms caused by Karenia brevisthat form in marine water. Blue-green algae blooms are caused bycyanobacteria and form in fresh water.

According to the FWC, blue-green originate fromrunoff containing human waste and fertilizers from nearby farms and neighborhoods.Nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as other nutrients in the polluted runoff, can act like fertilizer for the algae, creating large and long-lasting blooms.

Red tides, on the other hand, occur naturally and typically develop 10 to40 miles offshore in Florida. The Marine Laboratory and Aquarium notes that there is between nutrient pollution and the frequency or severity of red tides in Florida.However, when red tides move closer to shore, they are capable of using man-made nutrients from runoff for their growth.

If ingested, water contaminated withtoxins found in both red tides and blue-green algae can cause nausea, vomiting and, in severe cases, acute liver failure, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says.

The Centers for Disease Control notes thatcan result in a rash. Some research indicates a link between long-term inhalation of toxic algae fumes and neurological disorders like Parkinson’s and Lou Gehrig’s diseases.