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.
D000328:Adult; D003872:Dermatitis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007637:Keratoconjunctivitis / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008875:Middle Aged; D010944:Plants / Q000033:anatomy & histology