Is an adequate medical history still an essential tool in family medicine?
Tamara SINOŽIĆ, Juraj SINOŽIĆ and Ema RALIĆ
To present a case of a patient with dermatological changes occurring one month after a tourist trip to Zanzibar, and to outline the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures undertaken by the family physician and dermatologist for the confirmation and treatment of the parasitic disease Larva migrans.A 54-year-old female presented to the family physician with skin changes on the right sole, accompanied by pruritus. She was afebrile and did not report any systemic symptoms. The patient had a medical history of Hashimoto's thyroiditis and was being treated with levothyroxine. Upon inquiry, she reported traveling to Zanzibar a month prior, where she had walked barefoot on sandy beaches.A review of the literature was conducted focusing on dermatological conditions associated with travel to Zanzibar and the surrounding East African region. The findings support cutaneous larva migrans as a common travel-related parasitic dermatosis linked to barefoot exposure on sandy beaches and are consistent with the clinical presentation in our patient.A detailed travel history is essential for recognizing travel-related dermatological conditions and enables early suspicion of parasitic infections such as cutaneous larva migrans. Awareness of region-specific diseases, supported by literature review, allows timely referral and effective treatment, leading to complete patient recovery.Upon initial examination by the family physician, a small papule was observed, which developed into a moving erythematous serpentine lesion. The blood count was normal. Based on the epidemiological history and clinical findings, a working diagnosis of Larva migrans was made. The patient was referred for further diagnostic and therapeutic procedures to the dermatology department of the clinical hospital center. Subsequent diagnostic tests confirmed the diagnosis, and the patient was prescribed Albendazole 400 mg (to be taken with a fatty meal) once daily for three days. After completing the treatment, the skin lesion resolved completely without any residual effects.A thorough medical history, appropriate knowledge of travel medicine, and a review of the relevant literature provide valuable guidance for family physician in diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making. In the presented case, this approach enabled timely diagnosis and successful treatment of parasitic disease Larva migrans
