Cutaneous Larva Migrans in Travelers: Synopsis of Histories, Symptoms, and Treatment of 98 Patients

The symptoms, medical history, and treatment of 98 patients with cutaneous larva migrans (creeping eruption) who attended a travel-related-disease clinic during a period of 4 years are reviewed. This condition is caused by skin-penetrating larvae of nematodes, mainly of the hookworm Ancylostoma braziliense and other nematodes of the family Ancylostomidae. Despite the ubiquitous distribution of these nematodes, in the investigated group only travelers to tropical and subtropical countries were affected; 28.9% of the patients had symptoms for >1 month, and for 24.5% the probable incubation period was >2 weeks. The efflorescences typically were on the lower extremities (73.4% of all locations)