What is sea-bathers eruption?
Sea-bathers eruption is a dermatitis that typically appears on covered areas of the skin (under bathing suits, shirts, and long hair), rather than on exposed areas as with swimmers itch, and is usually associated with bathing in coastal waters. Episodes reported in Long Island waters are believed to be caused by the larval form of the sea anemone (Edwardsiella lineatam). A similar condition that occurs regularly off the coast of Florida is caused by the larval form of the thimble jellyfish (Linuche unquiculata), and is locally referred to as sea-lice. In either case, the dermatitis results when the tiny larval forms (the size of a pin head) are trapped underneath bathing suits or in the hair of the bather. Each larvae is equipped with a number of nematocysts (stinging cells), that can be triggered by simple mechanical pressure or by osmotic changes that occur with evaporation or when rinsing off with freshwater.
