olio... River Foot... Foot Rot... These are all names for a painful, itchy, red skin rash with blisters that typically involves the tops of the toes and feet. The condition seems to be more prevalent in recent years among Colorado River boaters. It varies in severity and has necessitated a few evacuations, due to spreading secondary infection. To put it mildly, there are many theories about this problem, including sun sensitivity, irritation from the sand or grasses, fungi, herpes, bacterial infection and allergies. Dr. Tom Myers and I have seen several cases over the past few years and have compared notes, photos and ideas. We¹ve conferred with a local dermatologist. In an effort to understand this condition better, we¹ve developed a questionnaire for reporting cases. We¹ve sent this to all the outfitters and also gave copies to the River Ranger at Lees Ferry. If you send in a report, we¹d appreciate photos and/or doctor¹s report copies too. We¹d like to see untreated cases if possible so we can get cultures and/or do biopsies. As we get more data from these sources, we¹ll report our conclusions and recommendations in an upcoming issue. Thanks in advance for your cooperation.

Walt Taylor, m.d.
1355 N Beaver, #120
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Phone (520) 779-0361
Fax (520) 779-7143

Tom Myers, m.d.
301 S 7th St.
Williams, AZ 86046
Phone (520) 635-4441
Fax (520) 635-4403

River Foot ("Tolio") Questionnaire
Please help us get some reliable data on this problem. Send a completed form on each case to Walt Taylor, m.d., at 1355 N. Beaver, Ste. 120, Flagstaff, AZ 86001. Dr. Tom Meyers and I will review the data and make the results and conclusions known to the river community asap. Please be as specific as possible with your answers.
1. What day of the trip did it appear?
2. Where on the river did it appear?
3. What month of the year?
4. What type of footgear were you wearing?
5. What sunscreen or other skin protection were you using?
6. What type of craft? Raft with regular floor, self-bailing raft, dory, other (specify).
7. Commercial, private or research trip?
8. Have you ever had this before? How many times? When and what river?
9. How many Colorado River trips so far this season
for you?
10. Do you have any pre-existing skin disease?
11. Do you have a history of skin allergies? Photosensitivity? Current medication use that might cause photosensitivity, such as Tetracycline, Sulfa, including Saptra or Bactrim, Cipro, Floxin, Raxar
or Trovan?
12. What symptoms did you have? (itching, pain, redness, blisters)
13. Are you crew or passenger? Your age?
14. Did others on your trip get it? Others in your boat?
15. How was it treated? How did it respond to the treatment?
16. Name, address, phone number (optional).