A case of aquagenic urticaria with a brief review of the literature

Abstract

Aquagenic urticaria, a type of physical urticaria, is quite rare and only about 50 cases have been reported in the medical literature. It was first described by Shelley and Rawnsley in 1964. Wheals occur when a patient’s skin makes contact with any type of water within 30 minutes of exposure, and can last for 30 minutes to 2 hours after cessation of exposure. Aquagenic urticaria most commonly develops on the trunk and upper limbs. It is sometimes associated with pruritus and an uncomfortable prickling or burning sensation. To the best of our knowledge, no case of aquagenic urticaria from Taiwan has been reported. Herein, we present a young Taiwanese male patient diagnosed with aquagenic urticaria.