HI all. Just posted my trip report, but wanted to post separately with a question... Our buddy from WI joined us for the week and on DAY 1 he was covered with small red bumps. The spots completely filled up his left arm - wrist to shoulder. Also, had a few on his left chest area. That first day I would have pegged them as mosquito bites. Johnny said they didn't itch at all that day or the whole week. (He did also have mosquito bites that itched and we were able to eliminate that his body just doesn't itch.) By day 5 on the island they had become pussy little white things. Yucky. Was not a chick magnet by any stretch of the mind. I did read a recent post about a tree that can cause such a condition, however it occurred on the first 24 hours at Buddy Dive and all we did was unpack and eat. Any thoughts?

MarisaZ

Hi Marisa,

Sounds to me like the bite of the no-se-ums. But you say that they did not itch?
Strange.

Mare

The Limpi Limpi (sp)? and sand fleas get me there and leave an itchy red pus bump for weeks. The mosies there don't itch me at all but do leave a red bump. I guess everyone is a little different, or in my case weird!

I was wondering if it was SBE (sea lice)? Was he swimming before the outbreak? Here's a link.

Simplest answer is prickly heat. I suffer from it, and it is really easy to get on Bonaire. It is a skin reaction to being constantly damp with sweat, and I get it on the inside of my thighs, the insides of my arms, my face, armpits, and groin. The pus is just a bacterial infection that takes advantage of the inflamed skin (I think it is the same bacteria as causes pimples, but I am not sure of that). The treatment is simple: Desitin. I apply it daily to the spots where I am especially prone as a preventative. If I get an outbreak anyway, then cortisone on the bumps and Desitin over the cortisone.

http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sf/multimedia/18198ap/t/sec18-ch206-ch206b.html

is a good image.

Did you hide your stuff under any trees while shore diving or snorkeling?

Check this out.
<http://www.oldbonairetalk.com/newsgroup/messages/30/259527.html?1141055926>

Norm,

Prior to the start of this thread I read up on the tree and the after effects. However, we spent the first 24 hours on the resort and didn't do much tree brushing, didn't hide keys in the brush, and really didn't get in the water. The spotted one, Johnny, feels that it was a case of prickly heat. I just wanted to rule out some kind of bug attack (other than mosquitos).

Thanks guys for all the feedback.