User:Mr. Ibrahem/Swimmer's itch
| Swimmer's itch | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Schistosome dermatitis,[1] cercarial dermatitis,[2] duck itch[3] |
 | |
| Cercarial dermatitis on lower legs, four days after spending a day in the shallows of a lake | |
| Specialty | Dermatology |
| Symptoms | Itchy skin, red bumps, small blisters[2] |
| Complications | Secondary bacterial skin infection[2] |
| Usual onset | Minutes to days of exposure[2] |
| Duration | Up to 3 week[3] |
| Causes | Schistosome[1] |
| Risk factors | Shallow warm water[3] |
| Diagnostic method | Based on symptoms[3] |
| Differential diagnosis | Insect bites, contact dermatitis, seabather's eruption, seaweed dermatitis[4][3] |
| Treatment | Hydrocortisone cream, baking soda, Epsom salts, colloidal oatmeal baths[2] |
| Prognosis | Good[1] |
Swimmer's itch is an allergic reation due to certain microscopic parasites.[2] Symptoms include itchy skin, red bumps, and small blisters; involving skin directly exposed to water.[2][3] Onset occurs within minutes to days of exposure.[2] Symptoms may last for up to a few weeks.[2][3] Complications may include a secondary bacterial skin infection.[2] Repeated exposure may result in worse symptoms.[2]
It occurs due to water-borne schistosome, a type of flatworms.[1] The parasite's life cycle involves snails as well as birds and certain mammals.[2] It generally occurs as a result of swimming in infested fresh or salt water.[2] The condition has also been seen among rice farmers.[4] It is not spread between people.[2] Diagnosis is generally based on symptoms.[3]
Treatments that may help include hydrocortisone cream, baking soda, Epsom salts, and colloidal oatmeal baths.[2] Antihistamines may be taken by mouth.[4] There are no permanent effects.[1] Efforts to prevent the condition include toweling off after exiting the water and avoiding shallow warm water.[4][3]
Swimmer's itch occurs globally.[2] Children are more commonly affected than adults.[2] Rates of disease appear to be increasing; either due to it occurring in more regions or being better reported.[4] The cause of the condition was determined in 1928.[4] Outbreaks may affect tourism.[4] It is regarded as emerging infectious disease.[4]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e "With warm weather, Swimmers Itch makes annual appearance". dnr.wi.gov. Archived from the original on 2016-03-08. Retrieved 2016-03-07.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Prevention, CDC-Centers for Disease Control and (18 September 2020). "CDC - Cercarial Dermatitis - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)". www.cdc.gov. Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Swimmer's itch | DermNet NZ". dermnetnz.org. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Horák, Petr; Mikeš, Libor; Lichtenbergová, Lucie; Skála, Vladimír; Soldánová, Miroslava; Brant, Sara Vanessa (January 2015). "Avian schistosomes and outbreaks of cercarial dermatitis". Clinical Microbiology Reviews. 28 (1): 165–190. doi:10.1128/CMR.00043-14. ISSN 1098-6618. PMC 4284296. PMID 25567226.