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Swimmer's ItchAka: Cercarial Dermatitis

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  1. Pathophysiology
    1. Predominately fresh water exposure
      1. Distribution
        1. Northern United States
        2. Canada
      2. Episodic outbreaks related to snail maturation
        1. Bright, warm days of summer induce snail shedding
        2. Most outbreaks occur near shore
    2. Inflammatory reaction to parasitic cercariae (larvae)
      1. Carriers: Snails
      2. Organisms
        1. Non-human schistosomes (parasitic flatworm)
        2. Flukes
      3. Mechanism
        1. Larvae penetrate Epidermis with water evaporation
        2. Larvae die once embedded
        3. Inflammatory reaction depends on sensitization
  2. Symptoms and symptoms
    1. Areas affected limited to exposed areas
    2. Initial Pruritus from acute Urticarial reaction
      1. Pruritus within 1 hour (minimal to intense)
    3. Later papular eruption occurs
      1. First Exposure
        1. Papules within 5 to 13 days
      2. Subsequent Exposure (Sensitized)
        1. Pruritic Papules within hours
        2. Symptoms peak within 2-3 days
        3. Resolution within 7 days
  3. Differential Diagnosis
    1. Seabather's Eruption (limited to bathing suit area)
    2. Aquagenic Pruritus
  4. Management: Symptomatic for Pruritus
    1. Antihistamines
    2. Cool compresses
    3. Sarna or Calamine lotion
    4. Low to medium potency Topical Corticosteroids
  5. Complications
    1. Secondary infection related to excoriation
  6. Prevention
    1. Dry Skin immediately after bathing
  7. Course
    1. Lesions clear completely in 1 to 2 weeks
  8. References
    1. Habif (1996) Clinical Dermatology, 3rd ed, Mosby, 486
    2. Mulvihill (1990) Cutis 46:211
    3. Pharis (1997) J Am Acad Dermatol 36:448

Cutaneous schistosomiasis (C0546996)

ConceptsDisease or Syndrome (T047)
ICD9120.3, 120.3
EnglishCercarial dermatitis, CLAM DIGGER ITCH, Clam digger's itch, Clam-digger's itch, CUTANEOUS SCHISTOSOMA, Cutaneous schistosomiasis, Infection by cercariae of schistosoma, Marine dermatitis, Schistosomal cercarial dermatitis, Schistosome dermatitis, Sea bather's eruption, Swamp itch, SWIMMER ITCH, Swimmer's itch, Swimmers' itch
Spanishdermatitis cercariana, dermatitis del nadador, dermatitis esquistosomica, dermatitis marina, dermatitis por cercarias, erupcion del banista, esquistosomiasis cutanea, infeccion por cercarias de esquistosoma, infeccion por cercarias de schistosoma, prurito de los pantanos, prurito del nadador
Parent ConceptsSchistosomiasis (C0036323), Skin Diseases, Infectious (C0037278), Skin Diseases, Parasitic (C0037280), Animal-induced dermatosis (C0406153), Water-induced dermatosis (C0406222), Ambiguous concept (C1274012)
SourcesDXP, ICD9CM, MTHICD9, NCI, SCTSPA, SNOMEDCT
Derived from the NIH UMLS (Unified Medical Language System)



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