(Featured image above is a close up of the fruit and leaves on a machineel tree)

With beautiful weather year round there are always fun outdoor activities to do in Cayman. However, there are a range of dangerous plants in the Cayman Islands to be aware of which can greatly impact your skin causing: dermatitis (skin irritation), burning, rashes or even more severe injuries.

In this article, we break down four common yet dangerous plants in the Cayman Islands and information on how to properly identify them from the Department of Environment (DOE) and what you do if your skin comes into contact with them.

After reading this article, we hope you are able to identify the dangerous plants in Cayman so you know what to avoid which helps ensure that you stay safe outside and have an enjoyable time!

Maiden Plum (Comocladia dentata):

Maiden plum (click to view image) heavily populates the island, sprouting more than other plants on open land and land where trees and bushes have recently been cut down. It is usually found as a small bush that is not normally more than 2 metres tall. Maiden plum has also been seen as a smaller plant or more rarely as a tree. It has unique traits and once aware of these it is hard to not spot it. It has glossy or waxy green leaves that are sometimes spotted, with a jagged sort of edge.

The maiden plum leaves can break a part quite easily, making it very easy for the sap from the leaves to transfer to your skin or clothing even if you gently brush past it. If you are exposed to the sap on your skin, the reaction is not instant but DOE explains: “the contact site will develop into a red welt after 24 hours, becoming increasingly inflamed and sore over the following weeks, developing into a wet, raw, open sore”.

Once you get the maiden plum sap on your skin, it is difficult to remove through rinsing water on it. It is recommended to pour some lemon or lime juice directly to the affected area on the skin for some relief.

Lady Hair (Malpighia cubensis):

Similar to Maiden Plum, Lady Hair (click to view image) is a small bush or shrub that is no more than 2 meters high. However, the Lady Hair distinguishes itself in its smaller, thin and long leaves which have what looks like fuzz or ‘hairs’ on them.

These ‘hairs’ are easily removed from the plant and can stick on to clothing and skin which can inflame, irritate and cause contact dermatitis on the skin. Duct tape and tweezers should be used as quickly as possible after contact to remove the hairs, this will help the reaction of the skin to these hairs subside quickly.

Cow itch (Mucuna pruriens):

Cow itch (Mucuna pruriens – click to view image) is a plant with long vines along with orange fuzzy purple flowers that are no longer than 10 centimetres. In the early stages of the plant’s growth it has many hairs all over it but as it matures the hairs shed. The tip of the leaf is pointy and the sides of the leaves are curved. The trend continues and like the previous two plants mentioned, the fuzzy hairs are very easy to come off of the plant, from a breeze or wind.

Once in contact with skin, it can cause painful itching. After it has been identified there has been contact, you should immediately remove the clothes near the areas of skin that was exposed and seek urgent medical attention. If medical attention cannot be immediately sought, the hairs can be removed with tweezers and hot water and soothing creams may possibly offer some remedy.

Manchineel (Hippomane mancinella):

Manchineel (Hippomane mancinella – click to view image), like Maiden Plum is a very popular shrub, maintaining the similar measurements of a 2 metre maximum height. It has curved leaves, long stems along with fruit (which is also poisonous and can be fatal if ingested) that looks similar to a green apple colour when unripe, but gradually turning yellow as it becomes riper. Every element of this plant is dangerous and any contact with it can cause extreme inflammation, blisters or burning skin.

DOE also stresses the extreme toxicity of the plant saying to take care what plants you are going under for shelter if it rains; if the water drips from a Manchineel tree onto a person’s skin, it can causing burning as the water could carry some of the sap.

If exposed to Manchineel, seek urgent medical attention right away. As an immediate measure, while waiting on medical attention, you can wash the affected area with soap and water.

Brazilian Peppertree

In January 2023, Cayman Islands Department of Environment (DOE) also warned about a new plot of the Brazilian Peppertree, a poisonous South American plant that had been found in Grand Cayman. For more information on this and what to do if you spot the plant, click here.

Conclusion:

As evidenced above, there are a range of dangerous plants in the Cayman Islands to be diligent of. While you may receive a painful rash or stings from the ‘hairs’ of the plants, many symptoms can be quickly relieved with the suggestions above from DOE and also with topical creams or remedies.

Nonetheless, there are plants in which contact with them can be very serious with longer recovery times, particularly Maiden Plum and Manchineel which is possibly life threatening. Immediate medical attention should be received for those who came in contact with this.

Overall, ensuring you take time to properly identify the distinguishing elements on these plants on the DOE website or getting in touch with one of our dermatologists (their profiles can be viewed below) for a proper examination of any dermatitis is important to ensure you keep safe and enjoy the outdoors in Cayman!

To read more on dangerous plants in the Cayman Islands, visit the Department of Environment’s official website: https://doe.ky/terrestrial/dangerous-plants/.

Approximately 3000 people in the USA alone are diagnosed with bacterial meningitis (less common and more severe type of meningitis versus viral meningitis being more common and less severe) each year, with a majority of these cases being children. Therefore it is fundamentally important for parents to stay aware of ways to check whether a child’s rash or spots is not an indicator of something more serious such as a meningitis infection.

Rolling glass method

The rolling glass method is one of the most common methods of testing whether your children’s rash might be a meningitis rash. Gently press a side of clear glass cup against your children’s rash on their skin. If the rash does not fade, this could indicate this rash is a meningitis rash.

However, meningitis is a tricky disease with a host of symptoms that don’t always appear in the same order for each person. In the first stages of meningitis, some children might not have a rash or the children’s meningitis rash could fade. Some individuals may even be asymptomatic.

Other symptoms

The NHS offers an extensive list of symptoms which includes:

• Rash or spots (Important note: There may be more difficulty identifying this on children with a darker skin complexion. Check the parts of the skin that are naturally less pigmented/paler which includes: palms of hand, soles of feet and the roof of the mouth.
• A fever/high temperature
• Cold hands and feet
• Nausea and vomiting
• Muscle aches and pains
• Headache or migraine
• Stiff neck
• Seizure
• Fatigue

In infants symptoms can include:

• Refusing feeding
• Unresponsive or stiff
• Noticeable soft spot on their head
• Being irritable
• High-pitched cries

Preventative meningitis: Men B vaccination

One of the most effective ways of reducing your children’s chances of contracting meningitis and also reducing your worries as a parent, is for you to ensure they receive the Men B vaccine.

This vaccine helps provide some immunity for your child from the ‘meningococcal group B bacteria’, a bacteria that 90% of meningococcal infections (often the precursor to meningitis) originate.

Get in touch

At Integra we offer the Men B vaccine as part of our development and well-child services.

If you would like to book an appointment for your baby’s Men B vaccine or are unsure of whether your child has meningitis or not, it is always best to be safe and get it checked out.

Visit our paediatrics page to book an appointment.

If you have confirmed that your the rash is not a meningitis rash, our expert Dermatology team also offer a range of paediatric dermatology services. 

To read more on this topic visit the sites below:

• https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/meningitis-in-children
• https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/meningitis/symptoms/#:~:text=Meningitis%20rash&text=It%20does%20not%20fade%20if,glass%20firmly%20against%20the%20skin.&text=The%20rash%20can%20be%20harder,the%20inside%20of%20the%20eyelids

Skin Cancer in the Cayman Islands

Skin cancers are more common than all other cancers combined. In a climate like Cayman, it is even more of a concern. There are two main types of Skin Cancer including:

Non-melanoma Skin Cancer: There are two common types of non-melanoma skin cancer. These are cancers which form in cells that do not make pigment. Both types usually occur in skin that has been exposed to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight or tanning beds. They include:

• Basal cell carcinoma
• Squamous cell carcinoma (there is also actinic keratosis which is a skin condition that can sometimes turn into squamous cell carcinoma)

Melanoma Skin Cancer: This is less common than non-melanoma skin cancer. However, is more likely to invade nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body. We are very blessed with a warm and sunny climate in the Cayman Islands with many enjoying a plethora of outdoor activities. However, with this comes more risk of skin cancer. It is important to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful UV rays using proper clothing and high factor sun screens.

Skin Cancer Screenings at Integra

Integra Healthcare offers a comprehensive skin cancer screening programme in Cayman. It is designed to identify melanoma skin cancers at the earliest possible stage. Integra is privileged to have the very latest screening technology – Total Body Dermoscopy, that marries Automated Total Body Photography and Dermoscopy. This new technology has built-in Artificial Intelligence to swiftly and reliably identify moles and skin blemishes that require deeper evaluation. The new FotoFinder ATBM Master uses sophisticated camera technology and powerful image processing, to ensure dermoscopic structures are already visible in the clinical image. We are justifiably proud of the advance this brings to early skin cancer detection.

Skin Cancer Screening Frequency

This can depend on skin pigment or shade and a range of other risk factors. Our dermatologists can advise you on the correct schedule, which could be anything from:

• Self-examination predminantly and occasional Mole Mapping
• Annual Mole Mapping
• Six-Monthly Mole Mapping
• More frequently for particularly at risk individuals

It’s generally covered by insurance and we can always advise on that. Given this and the massive mortality and morbidity benefits of early detection, it’s just not worth the risk of missing or late diagnosing a melanoma.

Benefits of Early Detection: Exploring the facts

• 98% survival rate: at 5 years post diagnosis if melanoma remains localised (early)
• 64% survival rate: at 5 years if melanoma has spread to the regional lymph nodes
• 23% survival rate: at 5 years if melanoma has spread to distant parts of body (late)

Early detection saves lives. Book your consultation today.