PUNTA CANA, D.R. – A couple is warning others of the dangers of walking barefoot on the beach after they contracted hookworms while on vacation in the Dominican Republic.
While staying at a Punta Cana resort, Katie Stephens and Eddie Zytner thought they had bug bites when their feet became itchy.
But upon returning home to Canada, both their feet began to swell and bumps formed on Zytner's toes.
CTV reports doctors sent Zytner home from the hospital with bandages after being unable to determine the cause of his symptoms. When the couple returned to the hospital, another doctor recognized the condition.
The pair had contracted hookworms, otherwise known as larva migrans, which are parasites which enter the skin when coming in contact with infected surfaces.
Stephens and Zytner believe they contracted the disease while walking barefoot on the beach in the Dominican Republic.
The couple say they notice the symptoms have begun to disappear after receiving medication, but both still use crutches to walk.
To anybody travelling somewhere tropical, please be careful when in the sand and wear shoes! My boyfriend and I recently...
Posted by Katie Stephens on Tuesday, January 23, 2018