Schistosomiasis or ????

[jerremie]

Hi, I'm a 34 yr. old male who noticed these 7 little red bumps show up on my hand yesterday morning after having spent a fair amount of time cleaning a couple of my aquariums over the weekend.  Since I've been at a loss to find good images on the internet, I've taken my own shots (see link below). I've had aquariums for years and am aware that there are mutliple aquatic vectors that can cause skin irritation and while this rash may very well have nothing to do with the aquariums, both tanks were full of freshwater fish and shrimp imported from Asia, plus LOTS OF SNAILS and a number of plants that had been grown in outdoor ponds in the Southeast U.S.

I'm trying (rather unsuccessfully at the moment) not to jump to the conclusion that I have been exposed to schistosomiasis or some other exotic hitchhiker. Perhaps it is just Dermatitis and a healthy dose of hypochondria. So, does it warrant a trip to a dermatologist, or the GP? By the way... no itching, no pain whatsoever.... just the past 28 hours staring at these bumps. Any help is GREATLY appreciated. Again... here are the close-up photos I took:

http://www.otgdesign.com/images/photos/hand.htm

THANKS!

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

They look like ordinary clogged pores, not some exotic tropical disease.  I suggest you ignore them.  If they don't go away in a week, you should see a doctor.  But your imagination is likely getting the better of you....

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff