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[Poisonous caterpillars in French Guyana. 5 cases]
P Couppié1, C Marty, D Sainte-Marie
1Institut guyanais de Dermatologie Tropicale (ER 133-UFR Médecine Antilles-Guyane), Centre Hospitalier de Cayenne.
Background:
Certain caterpillars produce venomous substances and cases of human envenomation are regularly published.
Case Reports:
We report 5 cases of caterpillar-induced envenomation observed in French Guyana. The caterpillar bites produced variable clinical manifestations. Automeris liberia provoked acute pain and skin necrosis: Dirphia tarquinia, erythema; Hylesia, persistent erythematous plaque (4 days); Megalopyge, erythematous and edematous lesions at the site of the bite and distant skin lesions; Automeris, syncopal pain and edematous infiltration of the thigh lasting several days.
Discussion:
Caterpillar envenomation necessitates consultation, emergency unit care, or even hospitalization. It is important to identify the causal caterpillar species in case of envenomation in order to evaluate risk. Lonomia achelous must always be suspected because this species can cause major fibrinogenolysis.