OCCURRENCE OF SWIMMERS ITCH IN THE TYROL

Cercariae from trematodes of birds are capable of penetrating human sk in causing a dermatitis, called swimmer's itch. In 1992, after a hot d ry summer there was a marked increase in the incidence of cercarial de rmatitis in-Austria. Although the increased incidence of this complain t can be quite worrisome for the population, the occurrence of swimmer 's itch can, in fact, generally be seen as harmless. Cercarial dermati tis responds well to treatment with topical antihistamines or cortison e; even without medication the skin rash heals within 2-3 weeks. The e ffectiveness of various preventive measures (such as protective sun cr eam or patting the skin dry) is controversial. The use of molluscicide s is definitely contraindicated due to the inoffensive nature of this dermatitis. While it is usually easy to recognize swimmer's itch when there is an increased incidence, the diagnosis is often missed when it occurs sporadically, due to its unspecific characteristics.