Seabather's eruption is an itching

dermatitis Dermatitis is inflammation of the skin, typically characterized by itchiness, redness and a rash. In cases of short duration, there may be small blisters, while in long-term cases the skin may become thickened. The area of skin involved can v ...

caused by a

hypersensitivity reaction Hypersensitivity (also called hypersensitivity reaction or intolerance) refers to undesirable reactions produced by the normal immune system, including allergies and autoimmunity. They are usually referred to as an over-reaction of the immune s ...

to the immature

nematocyst A cnidocyte (also known as a cnidoblast or nematocyte) is an explosive cell containing one large secretory organelle called a cnidocyst (also known as a cnida () or nematocyst) that can deliver a sting to other organisms. The presence of this ce ...

s of

larval A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. The l ...

-stage

thimble jellyfish The thimble jellyfish (''Linuche unguiculata'') is a species of cnidarian found in the warm West Atlantic Ocean, including the Caribbean. It is a tiny jellyfish with a straight-sided, flat-topped bell. This jellyfish is the most common cause of ...

(''Linuche unguiculata''), sea anemones (''

Edwardsiella lineata ''Edwardsiella lineata'', the lined anemone, is a species of sea anemone in the family Edwardsiidae. It is native to the northwestern Atlantic Ocean where it occurs in the subtidal zone. Description ''E. lineata'' is a small, delicate-looking, w ...

'') and other larval cnidarians. The cause is sometimes attributed to "sea lice" or "sea ants", but

sea lice Sea lice (singular: sea louse) are copepods (small crustaceans) of the family Caligidae within the order Siphonostomatoida. They are marine ectoparasites (external parasites) that feed on the mucus, epidermal tissue, and blood of host fish. Th ...

(Caligidae) are

crustacean Crustaceans (Crustacea, ) form a large, diverse arthropod taxon which includes such animals as decapods, seed shrimp, branchiopods, fish lice, krill, remipedes, isopods, barnacles, copepods, amphipods and mantis shrimp. The crustacean group ...

parasites of fish only. It should not be confused with swimmer's itch.

Symptoms and signs

Symptoms generally arise later after one takes a shower. It is unusual to notice the eruptions immediately. Symptoms can last from a few days up to two weeks, the shorter time being the norm. The reaction is identified by severe itching around small red papules 1mm to 1.5 cm in size located on areas of skin that were covered by water-permeable clothing or hair during ocean swimming. Initial swimmer exposure to the free-floating larvae produces no effects, as each organism possesses only a single undeveloped nematocyst which is inactive while suspended in seawater. However, due to their microscopic size and sticky bodies, large concentrations of larvae can become trapped in minute gaps between skin and clothing or hair. Once the swimmer leaves the ocean, the organisms stuck against the skin die and automatically discharge their nematocysts when crushed, dried out, or exposed to freshwater. This is why symptoms usually do not appear until the swimmer dries themselves in the sun or takes a freshwater shower without first removing the affected clothing.

Treatment

Treatment is symptomatic, with most affected using a topical anti-itch cream (

diphenhydramine Diphenhydramine (DPH) is an antihistamine and sedative mainly used to treat allergies, insomnia, and symptoms of the common cold. It is also less commonly used for tremor in parkinsonism, and nausea. It is taken by mouth, injected into a vein ...

) and a cortisone solution ( hydrocortisone).

Incidence

Seabather's eruption is common throughout the range of ''

Linuche unguiculata The thimble jellyfish (''Linuche unguiculata'') is a species of cnidarian found in the warm West Atlantic Ocean, including the Caribbean. It is a tiny jellyfish with a straight-sided, flat-topped bell. This jellyfish is the most common cause of ...

'' in the

Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

, and Gulf States. Cases were first identified in Brazil in 2001. The closely related ''

Linuche aquila ''Linuche aquila'' is a species of cnidarian found in the tropical and subtropical Pacific Ocean. It is very small and is commonly known as a thimble jellyfish because of its size and shape. The larvae can cause bathers to develop an itchy red ...

'', found anywhere between Malaysia, the Philippines and the east coast of Africa, is also known to cause the condition. Swimmers in Queensland, Australia, have reported seabather's eruption during the summer months of the year. Swimmers at the east-coast beaches of

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

and the rest of the Hauraki Gulf in New Zealand can develop seabather's eruption, typically during summer.

References

External links

{{Animal bites and stings Immune system disorders Parasitic infestations, stings, and bites of the skin