Crossing the Gulf of Aden: cutaneous infections in African migrant shipwreck survivors.

Skin and soft tissue infections were observed in migrants from Somalia who crossed the Gulf of Aden, crowded on a drifting boat for 14 days. Thirty-three percent of survivors of this hazardous journey had skin infections. Seven were hospitalized for severe Staphylococcus aureus cutaneous infections associated with intracellular dehydration.