Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 Jun;8(2):104-111.
doi: 10.1007/s40475-021-00231-8. Epub 2021 Feb 16.

Common Dermatologic Conditions in Returning Travelers

Affiliations

Common Dermatologic Conditions in Returning Travelers

Zachary Shepard et al. Curr Trop Med Rep. 2021 Jun.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Travel medicine practitioners often are confronted with returning travelers with dermatologic disorders that could be of infectious causes or inflammatory or allergic. Some dermatologic processes are the result of exposure to insects or acquired due to environmental exposures. There is a broad range of dermatosis of infectious and non-infectious etiologies that clinicians need to consider in the differential diagnosis of dermatosis in travelers.

Recent findings: With increasing international travel to tropical destinations, many individuals may be exposed to rickettsia (i.e., African tick bite fever, scrub typhus, or Mediterranean spotted fever), parasitic infections (i.e., cutaneous larva migrans, cutaneous leishmaniasis, African trypanosomiasis, or American trypanosomiasis), viral infections (i.e., measles or Zika virus infection), bacterial (i.e., Buruli ulcer) or ectoparasites (scabies or tungiasis), and myiasis. Cutaneous lesions provide clinical clues to the diagnosis of specific exposures during travel among returned travelers.

Summary: Dermatologic disorders represent the third most common health problem in returned travelers, after gastrointestinal and respiratory illness. Many of these conditions may pose a risk of severe complications if there is any delay in diagnosis. Therefore, clinicians caring for travelers need to become familiar with the most frequent infectious and non-infectious skin disorders in travelers.

Keywords: Cutaneous Larva Migrans; Dermatologic; Leishmaniasis; Myiasis; Phytophotodermatitis; Prurigo Nodularis; Travelers; Tungiasis.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
A returning traveler with a diffuse viral exanthema in patient with confirmed dengue viral infection after returning from the Peruvian Amazon
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
A returning traveler presenting with erythema nodosum (nodules with associated tenderness) associated to Streptococcus pyogenes pharyngitis
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
a,b Ecthyma gangrenosum caused by Staphylococcus aureus in two returning travelers
Fig. 4.
Fig. 4.
Cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania panamensis
Fig. 5.
Fig. 5.
Cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania panamensis in the hand of a returning traveler.
Fig. 6.
Fig. 6.
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (Tapir Nose)
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
a,b Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (Úlcera de chiclero)
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
A returning traveler with cutaneous larva migrans in her left foot sole presenting after returning from southeast tropical Asia
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
Larval form of Dermatobia hominis extracted from a cutaneous nodule on the back of a returning traveler
Fig. 10
Fig. 10
A returning traveler from South America with tungiasis caused by Tunga penetrans

Similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Hochedez P, Caumes E. Common skin infections in travelers. J Travel Med. 2008;15(4):252–62 - PubMed
    2. This is a classic article written by dermatologist with extensive experience and expertise in travel medicine which provides a detailed description of dermatologic conditions in travelers.

    1. Wilson ME, Chen LH. Dermatologic infectious diseases in international travelers. Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2004;6:54–62 - PubMed
    2. In depth narrative review of dermatologic conditions in travelers.

    1. Francesconi F, Lupi O. Myiasis. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2012;25(1):79–105. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Reis CMS, Reis-Filho EGM. Mycetomas: an epidemiological, etiological, clinical, laboratory and therapeutic review. An Bras Dermatol. 2018;93(1):8–18 - PMC - PubMed
    2. Narrative review of mycetoma and actinomycetoma.

    1. Jensenius M, Fournier PE, Raoult D. Rickettsioses and the international traveler. Clin Infect Dis. 2004;39(10):1493–9. 10.1086/425365 - DOI - PubMed
    2. Comprehensive review of clinically relevant Rickettsial infections in travelers including African tick bite fever and Mediterranean spotted fever.

LinkOut - more resources