Creeping eruption is more prevalent among countries with warm climates and affects more children than adults. In the United States, the Southeastern states have the highest rates of infection. The main risk factor for this disease is contact with damp, sandy soil contaminated with infected cat and dog feces.

The dog and cat hookworm eggs found in the stool of these animals will hatch, and the larvae then infest the soil and vegetation around the droppings. When human skin comes in contact with the infested soil, the larvae burrow into the skin, causing an intense inflammatory response that follows their progress beneath the skin and leads to severe itching. A visible path that marks the migratory trail of the larvae is often seen. The larvae may migrate at rates of a few millimeters to a few centimeters per day.

• Raised, snakelike tracks in the skin that may migrate over time -- in severely infested individuals, there may be several tracks noted.
• Itching at the site of penetration of the larvae and along the migratory path of the larvae, which may be more severe at night
• Occasional blister formation along the migratory path

• Secondary skin infections caused by scratching
• Spread to the lungs or the small intestine (rare)