Citation

Diaz JH. J. La. State Med. Soc. 2005; 157(3): 153-157.

Affiliation

School of Public Health, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Louisiana State Medical Society)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16173315

Abstract

Caterpillars are the wormlike larval forms of butterflies and moths of the insect order Lepidoptera. Next to flies, lepidopterans are the most abundant arthropods with over 165,000 species worldwide, over 11,000 species in the United States alone, and with most species posing no human threats. Caterpillar species from several families of moths in the South can inflict serious human injuries ranging from urticarial dermatitis and conjunctivitis to atopic asthma and pan-uveitis. Since the 1970s, there have been increasing reports of dermatolgic, pulmonary, and systemic reactions following caterpillar encounters throughout the South.