| • | = cercarial dermatitis (i.e. caused by penetration of the skin by cercariae a larval form of animal schistosomes) |
| • | the blood flukes require an intermediate snail host and a definitive vertebrate host (e.g. a duck) to complete the life cycle |
| • | because man is an accidental host , development cannot proceed |
| • | therefore the clinical manifestations resolve spontaneously within a week |
| • | post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation a common sequelae |
| • | towel drying immediately after leaving the water is an effective preventive measure, since most larvae penetrate the skin as water is evaporating |
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