Ocean itch
An intensely itchy rash due to contact with the tiny thimble jellyfish (Linuche unguiculata).
These jellyfish are common between March and August in the waters off of Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. There may be no adult jellyfish around as a warning. The jellyfish larvae look like mere specks of “finely ground pepper” and can evoke the same response.
The reaction tends to start 4-24 hours after exposure to the jellyfish. People who have had previous exposure to seabather’s rash may have an immediate stinging sensation. Some people feel like they have the flu with nausea, vomiting , headache, muscle and joint aches, and malaise.
A bathing suit traps the jellyfish larvae with the fabric acting like a net. The best way to prevent stings is clearly to stay out of the water. Anyone who has had a previous episode of seabather’s itch is advised to not go in the water. If one goes in the water, one can wear clothes such as a wet suit that provide a protective barrier. Careful washing of swimwear after taking a dip is advisable. Wearing a T-shirt into the water is a poor idea because it increases the risk of a severe reaction. Topical anti-itch creams are only temporarily effective.
Other names for this condition include bather’s eruption, sea poisoning, and seabather’s itch and the jellyfish are sometimes called sea critters or, incorrectly, sea lice.
Read Also:
- Ochronosis
1. Deposition of dark pigment in connective tissues, usually due to alkaptonuria or exposure to chemicals such as phenolic compounds or hydroquinone. 2. Sometimes used as a synonym for alkaptonuria.
- OCPD
Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder.
- Ocular conjunctiva
That part of the conjunctiva, a clear membrane of the eye, which covers the outer surface of the eye. The other part of the conjunctiva is the palpebral conjunctiva, which lines the inside of the eyelids. The ocular conjunctiva is also called the bulbar conjunctiva.
- Ocular histoplasmosis syndrome
(1) The presence of histo spots, which indicate previous exposure to the histo fungus spores; and (2) Swelling of the retina, which signals the growth of new, abnormal blood vessels. professional to better examine the retina. Treatment may include injections of anti-VEGF agents, photocoagulation or photodynamic therapy (PDT). Lasers produce small, powerful beam of light […]
- Ocular prosthesis
1. An artificial replacement for an eyeball. In other words, an artificial eye, a globe of glass or plastic colored so it looks like an eyeball. 2. In the strict sense, any artificial aid to vision such as, for example, a pair of eyeglasses or a plastic lens inserted in the place of a lens […]