Dusseldorf, Germany - An algae bloom reported off the coast of Italy's north-western coastal region of Liguria poses no problem to holidaymakers in the Mediterranean, according to scientists at Germany's Centre for Travel Medicine in Dusseldorf. "I wouldn't jump into a thick carpet of algae, but there's no reason not to get into the water when there's an algae bloom," says the head of the science team, Tomas Jelinek.
Liguria has repeatedly been the scene of outbreaks of this tropical type of algae in summer.
The species of algae discovered off the city of Genoa is called Ostreopsis ovata and can cause skin rashes, according to Jelinek.
The algae comes originally from the Pacific region and on contact emits a poison that it uses to protect its home environment.
However, the human reaction to contact with the algae is not as acute as contact with a jellyfish.
Bathers are more likely to come in contact with the species Caulerpa taxifolia than the Ostreopsis ovata.
Caulerpa is also at home in the Pacific and has gained notoriety as the "killer algae" due to its ability to attack and destroy marine flora and fauna. However, it poses no danger to humans.
