Primary Irritant and Delayed-Contact Hypersensitivity Reactions to the Freshwater Cyanobacterium Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii and its Associated Toxin Cylindrospermopsin

Freshwater cyanobacteria are common inhabitants of recreational waterbodies throughout the world; some cyanobacteria can dominate the phytoplankton and form blooms, many of which are toxic. Numerous reports in the literature describe pruritic skin rashes after recreational or occupational exposure to cyanobacteria, but there has been little research conducted on the cutaneous effects of cyanobacteria. Using the mouse ear swelling test (MEST), we sought to determine whether three toxin-producing cyanobacteria isolates and the purified cyanotoxin cylindrospermopsin produced delayed-contact hypersensitivity reactions.

Publisher - BioMed Central Ltd

Subjects - Cyanobacteria, Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii; Chemical, Cylindrospermopsin; Toxicity

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Citation: Stewart I, Seawright AA, Schulter PJ, Shaw GR. 2006. Primary Irritant and Delayed-Contact Hypersensitivity Reactions to the Freshwater Cyanobacterium Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii and its Associated Toxin Cylindrospermopsin. BMC Dermatol.; 6:1-12 http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-5945-6-5