Starfish Dermatitis Due to Marthasterias Glacialis

Abstract

Some marine organisms are known to inflict contact dermatitis, whether secondary to professional or recreational activities. We report a 23-year-old white woman with hypersensitivity reaction induced by Marthasterias glacialis starfish. To our knowledge this is the first report of starfish hypersensitivity reaction induced by Marthasterias glacialis on human skin. Because of the growing popularity of recreational subaquatic activities, such as scuba diving, reports about diving-related skin diseases are expected to increase.