Giant millipede 'burns' and the eye.
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.
Hudson
B J
BJ
Madang General Hospital, Papua New Guinea.
Parsons
G A
GA
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000832:Animals, Poisonous; D001180:Arthropod Venoms / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001181:Arthropods / Q000737:chemistry*; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000628:therapy; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced; D005126:Eye Burns / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D005148:Facial Dermatoses / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007634:Keratitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000628:therapy; D010219:Papua New Guinea; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D001180:Arthropod Venoms