Gnathostomiasis, or larva migrans profundus

Gnathostomiasis, or larva migrans profundus, is a significant cause of morbidity in many parts of the world, especially the Far East. Over forty cases have recently been reported from South America, and some of those patients are seeking diagnostic evaluation and treatment in the United States. A clinical course of painless migratory recurrent urticarial skin lesions in a patient who has eaten raw or poorly cooked freshwater fish should alert a physician to the diagnosis of gnathostomiasis.