Dermatitis and keratoconjunctivitis caused by a prickly pear (Opuntia microdasys)

Two patients were affected by the barbed bristles of the ornamental cactus Opuntia microdasys, a small prickly pear plant. Dermatitis occurred in both patients and consisted of itchy papules produced by implantation of the glochids. One patient developed a severe keratoconjunctivitis in the right eye, which cleared after a glochid had been located in the palpebral conjunctiva, and removed. The glochids were studied under light and scanning electron microscopes and their structral details are described.