Got the Travel Bug? A Review of Common Infections, Infestations, Bites, and Stings Among Returning Travelers

Abstract

The popularity of international travel continues to increase among Americans, even though they often experience subsequent illness on return from their journey. The pathogens responsible are not necessarily endemic to the destination itself but are often the result of poor sanitary conditions or activities engaged in while away. Skin disease ranks third among all medical concerns in returning travelers. This review addresses the pathogenesis, epidemiology, clinical presentation, and treatment of the most common skin diseases in returning travelers: insect bites and bedbugs, cutaneous larva migrans, scabies, tungiasis, myiasis, leishmaniasis, viral exanthems, and marine envenomation. Primary care physicians and dermatologists should be familiar with these illnesses and a general approach to their evaluation and management. Key PointsArthropod assault and infestation is a source of significant morbidity in returning travelers.Travelers should bring proper protective clothing and insect repellant when travelling to areas where biting insects are vectors of disease.Travelers should be acquainted with the hazards associated with local marine life if they plan on entering the water.

Travelers’ tropical skin diseases: Challenges and interventions

“…Leishmaniasis is a relatively common disease in returning travelers, accounting for approximately 5–10% of all travel‐related diseases (Vasievich et al, ). It is caused by a protozoan parasite of the genus Leishmania and transmitted by a vector genus Lutzomyia (New World disease, i.e., originating from Central and South America) or Phlebotomus (Old World disease, i.e., originating from Africa, Asia, Middle East, and Southern Europe).…”

“…The disease can manifest in four forms: localized cutaneous, diffuse cutaneous (or diffuse anergic cutaneous), mucocutaneous, and visceral. The progression from one stage to another largely depends on the Leishmania species and host response to the infection (Desjeux, ; Vasievich et al, ).…”

“…Cutaneous leishmaniasis begins on average after a 3‐month incubation period as a solitary well‐circumscribed erythematous papule at the site of the sandfly bite (Vasievich et al, ). The papule enlarges and forms nodules and ulcerated lesions with indurated borders (Figure ).…”

“…Pentavalent antimonials are preferred therapy for cutaneous leishmaniasis (Vasievich et al, ). This depends somewhat on the infecting species, as determined by PCR results, and risk of progression to mucocutaneous disease.…”

A Incidência De Percevejos De Leito Nos Principais Hoteis Da Zona Sul Do Rio De Janeiro/Rj-Brasil De 2014 a 2017

“…Devido à globalização, ao grande crescimento populacional e a facilidade de disseminação dos percevejos de leito, contribuíram com o ressurgimento dessa praga (VASIEVICH, 2016). Podem se locomover, da forma ativa (curtas distâncias) ou passiva (grandes distâncias) (NASCI-MENTO, 2011).…”