Recurrent cutaneous jellyfish eruptions without envenomation

Abstract

Three patients exhibiting recurrent cutaneous eruptions induced by contact with jellyfish tentacles are presented. The recurrent eruptions appeared several days after the primary exposure without contact with any offending coelenterate. The principal species involved include Pelagia noctiluca, Physalia physalis and probably Lychnorhiza lucerna. These three cases, combined with an earlier similar report of recurrent lesions induced by Physalia physalis suggest that this phenomenon may be widespread. In two of the three cases, the secondary eruption was more severe than that occurring after the primary envenomation.