Are you tired of staying at home for the past 2 years due to the pandemic? Are you planning to travel during these summer holidays? Do you know, only covid-19 is not the danger waiting for you outside your home? Rather many other infections can also be acquired during your travel. And most of these infections affect your skin.
I would suggest you give your 3 minutes and read this article to be well prepared to prevent many skin infections and problems. You can also consult the best dermatologist in Lahore for further information related to travel acquired skin infections.
Here are the most common 7 infections and infestations that you may get while travelling;
Creeping Eruption (hookworms):
Creeping eruption is a skin infection that is caused by hookworms. This infection has major symptoms like itching, blister formation, reddish rash, and inflammation. The rashes can grow up to 1-2 cm in a day.
This infection is also known as sandworm disease. The treatment for this infection is antiparasitic medicines that can be applied topically or taken orally.
The infection takes 5-6 weeks to heal with treatment.
Scabies:
Scabies is a skin infestation that is not due to any bacteria or parasite; rather, the mites naming Sarcoptes scabies are responsible for this unpleasant condition. This skin condition is very contagious and easily transferred through physical contact and clothes, bedding, etc.
The symptoms are itchy red rashes on the body. The mites lay eggs on the skin and cause the disease.
Medicines are available to treat scabies, but the itchy rash lasts for several weeks.
Bacterial skin infections:
Many bacteria skin infections are also common among travellers. These infections can be easily caught through hotel rooms, airport washrooms, or any public places where you visit or stay during your trip.
Some common examples of these bacterial skin infections are impetigo, ecthyma, erysipelas, abscess, and necrotizing cellulitis.
These infections can be cured and treated with different antibiotics.
Cutaneous leishmaniasis:
Cutaneous leishmaniasis is the most common type of leishmaniasis that affects humans. A single-celled parasite is responsible for this skin infection transmitted by the bite of a phlebotomine sandfly. There are about twenty species of Leishmania that may cause cutaneous leishmaniasis.
People travelling to tropical regions have a chance of getting this infection.
The common symptoms of this infection are skin sores, skin ulcers, breathing problems, stuffy nose, nasal bleeding, swallowing difficulty, etc.
It can be cured with medicines, but if left untreated, this infection can be fatal.
Tungiasis:
Tungiasis is a skin infestation with the burrowing flea Tunga penetrans or related species. Tungiasis can cause abscesses, secondary infections, gangrene, and disfigurement.
This disease can affect those travellers who travel to tropical and subtropical areas of the world.
Cutaneous Larva Migrans:
Cutaneous Larva Migrans are an infection that is also common in travellers of tropical and subtropical regions.
This infection is caused by a parasite, hookworm larvae, that usually infest cats, dogs, and other animals. Humans can get the infection with the larvae by walking barefoot on sandy beaches or contacting moist, soft soil that has been contaminated with animal faeces.
Myiasis:
Myiasis is the infection of a maggot that is a fly larva in human tissue.
This occurs in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. People travelling to these regions are more prone to this infection.
The most common symptoms of myiasis infection are itching, a sensation of movement, and sometimes sharp, stabbing pain. Small red bumps appear on the skin, similar to any other insect bite. These bumps increase in size, and small openings can also be seen at the centre.
This infection can be cured by surgical removal of the larva.
These above-mentioned skin diseases and infections can become fatal if not treated properly on time. These infections also travelled with travellers and spread to other geographical regions.
It is always better to take good precautionary measures while travelling. Maintain your hygiene as much as you can. Use your clothes and shoes. Try to select high-standard hotels for your stay. Keep some medicines and antiparasitic sprays with you to avoid such infections.
You can also consult your dermatologist before your travel date so that you can keep some over-the-counter skin-related medicines with you for your trip.
