Prevalence of Cercarial Dermatitis among Paddy-Field Workers in Central Areas of Mazandaran Province

Abstract Background and Objective: Cercarial dermatitis (CD) or swimmer’s itch is a severe inflammatory reaction caused by penetration of the skin by avian and herbivorous schistosomes, esp genus Trichobilharzia. Since both intermediate and final host of this parasite exist in North of Iran, we aimed at determining the prevalence of cercarial dermatitis among paddy-field workers in Central areas of Mazandaran Province. Material and Methods: To perform this descriptive-cross sectional study, we refer to bird refuges of migrating water and Paddy-field around man-made ponds of Babol, Sari, Ghaemshahr and Savadkoh districts. The Hand and foot of the farmers were examined clinically for detection of infected people and their signs and symptoms were recorded on a sheet of paper. Results: Based on the results, 77.5 % of the workers suffer from CD. All of them are males and the majority of them are indigenous. Conclusion: High prevalence of Cercarial dermatitis among paddy-field workers led to a health dilemma. Thus, by increasing awareness of farmers, implementing suitable approaches, controlling the disease and sanitizing the contaminated areas can promote health situation. Key Words: Trichobilharzia Avian Schistosomiasis Cercaria Dermatitis Paddy-Field Workers Itch