Dermatologic manifestations of parasitic diseases

The skin being exposed to the environment is commonly the portal of entry for parasites. Infections with parasites characteristically produce cutaneous lesions as well as systemic disease in humans. In the past, parasitic diseases were limited to their endemic areas. With the relative ease of worldwide travel, however, they are appearing with increasing frequency in the United States and other developed countries. This article describes the characteristic cutaneous findings of parasitic diseases that physicians in the United States may encounter in their medical practice.