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Giant millipede 'burns' and the eye

Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 1997 Mar-Apr;91(2):183-5. doi: 10.1016/s0035-9203(97)90217-0.

Abstract

A retrospective review of 8 cases of millipede 'burns' (caused by Polyconoceras sp. [= Salpidobolus sp.]) of the eye and periorbital tissues seen in a specialist ophthalmology unit over 6 years at Madang General Hospital, Papua New Guinea, was conducted. Such cases comprised 0.06% of the 14,000 patients seen in the same period. All cases were seen in the rainy season. Apart from one adult, all cases were children (age range 9 months-7 years). Clinical manifestations included a 'burn' of periorbital skin (all 8 cases), marked periorbital oedema (3 cases), conjunctivitis (2 cases), and keratitis (one case). All patients recovered fully with standard topical ophthalmic therapy. Despite anecdotal reports that blindness is a likely sequela of millipede 'burns' of the eye, it did not occur in this, the only published series of the condition.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Animals, Poisonous*
  • Arthropod Venoms / adverse effects*
  • Arthropods / chemistry*
  • Burns, Chemical / etiology*
  • Burns, Chemical / pathology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Conjunctivitis / chemically induced
  • Conjunctivitis / therapy
  • Edema / chemically induced
  • Eye Burns / chemically induced*
  • Eye Burns / pathology
  • Facial Dermatoses / chemically induced*
  • Facial Dermatoses / pathology
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Keratitis / chemically induced
  • Keratitis / therapy
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Retrospective Studies

Substances

  • Arthropod Venoms