Creeping disease
Overview
Creeping disease: A skin disease caused by a parasite which tunnels its way through the skin leaving a visible red, itchy, linear eruption on the skin where it has been. The hookworm parasite can't use humans to complete its life cycle but continues to travel through the skin until it dies. Transmission usually occurs through skin contact with warm, moist soil contaminated by the feces of an infected animal.
Symptoms
The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Creeping disease includes the 5 symptoms listed below: * Itching * Linear skin eruption * Tinkling skin at site of infection * Prickling skin at site of infection * Blistering
Causes
Under favorable conditions — warmth, moisture, sandy soil — hookworm or roundworm ova present in feces of affected animals (such as dogs and cats) and hatch into larvae, which can then burrow into human skin on contact. After penetrating its host, the larva becomes trapped under the skin, unable to reach the intestines to complete its normal life cycle. The parasite then begins to move, producing the peculiar, tunnel-like lesions that are alternately meandering and linear, reflecting the nematode’s persistent and unsuccessful attempts to escape its host.
Diagnosis
The phrase "signs of Creeping disease" should, strictly speaking, refer only to those signs and symptoms of Creeping disease that are not readily apparent to the patient. The word "symptoms of Creeping disease" is the more general meaning; see symptoms of Creeping disease. The signs and symptom information on this page attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Creeping disease. This medical information about signs and symptoms for Creeping disease has been gathered from various sources, may not be fully accurate, and may not be the full list of Creeping disease signs or Creeping disease symptoms. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Creeping disease may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed Creeping disease symptoms.
Treatment
Topical application of thiabendazole, ivermectin, or albendazole is effective. The suspension is applied to lesions and the immediate surrounding areas four times daily for 1 week. Oral thiabendazole given in two divided doses for 3 to 5 days is effective. Oral ivermectin and albendazole are equally effective. Tell the patient that adverse effects of systemic thiabendazole include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and dizziness.