Jellyfish envenomation presenting with delayed identical cutaneous lesions in a mother and child

Abstract

Jellyfish envenomation can present with local cutaneous lesions both immediate and delayed. While the immediate reaction is toxin mediated, an immune mechanism is responsible for the delayed eruptions. This is a report of a mother and child who developed identical papular lesions in a bizarre, linear distribution after coming in contact with jellyfish almost simultaneously while on holiday. Histology showed focal basal cell degeneration along with peri-vascular and peri-appendageal lympho-mononuclear infiltrate. Both patients responded well to topical tacrolimus.

Keywords

• Basal cell degeneration
• delayed cutaneous lesions
• jellyfish envenomation
• papules