AQUARIUM DERMATITIS - CERCARIAL DERMATITIS IN AN AQUARIST

A 33-year-old man presented with very itchy red papules on the back of his hands and forearms. These papules appeared about 90 min after he had cleaned his aquarium in which he kept native fish and watersnails. He had obtained the watersnails some weeks before from a nearby pond. Examination of water from the aquarium revealed cercariae. The clinic al diagnosis of cercarial dermatitis was corroborated. Cercarial derma titis has repeatedly been seen in swimmers but not in aquarists keepin g fish in a home aquarium.