[Skin diseases and tropical medicine. Results from a prospective study (2004-2007)].
BACKGROUND
An increase of international trips has been taken place in recent years, being Spain one of the principal issuing countries of internationl tourism. Dermatological diseases returning from tropical areas are frequent causes of medical consultation. Etiology is varied. OBJECTIVE. The aims of the present study are: to evaluate the importance of dermatological pathology in patients who come to a consultation of Tropical Medicine; to analyze the influence of duration, motive and the destination of the trip; and to describe the most frequent entities.


METHODS
An observational prospective study was realized, including all Spanish people older than 18 years-old who came to a consultation of Tropical Medicine. The period of study was between January 1st, 2004 and December 31st, 2007. Epidemiological and clinical items were collected from the group of patients with dermatological pathology.


RESULTS
There were attended 3,351 new consultations, with 660 cases of skin diseases. The infectious pathology constituted an almost the half (48.5%) of the dermatological pathology (320 cases). The injuries more frequently described were associated with stings arthropods (113 cases) and cutaneous larva migrans (CLM) (84), mycoses (52) and urticaria (43).


CONCLUSIONS
The appearance of dermatosis in the travelers seems to be determined by the motive, the duration and the destination. Given the heterogeneity of the pathology, the recognition of the injuries is fundamental to initiate the suitable treatment.
Ramírez-Olivencia
G
G
Unidad de Medicina Tropical. Servicio de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Hospital Carlos III. Madrid. España. germanramirezolivencia@hotmail.com
Bru Gorraiz
F J
FJ
Rivas González
P
P
Lago Núñez
M
M
Herrero Mendoza
M D
MD
Puente Puente
S
S
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014195:Travel; D014330:Tropical Medicine; D055815:Young Adult