Abstract

CASADO VERRIER, Esther; CARRO RODRIGUEZ, Miguel A; CANCHO, María de la Parte  and  PINEIRO PEREZ, Roi. Systemic reaction after pine processionary caterpillar ingestion: Conservative management?. Arch. argent. pediatr. [online]. 2016, vol.114, n.3, pp.e151-e154. ISSN 0325-0075.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5546/aap.2016.e151.

The larval form of the moth Thaumetopoea pityocampa, known as pine processionary caterpillar, is one of the main forest pests in southern Europe. Often, these caterpillars cause local reactions in humans, due to their microscopic stinging hairs. Most symptoms affect skin, in form of acute urticaria. Systemic reactions are rare. An eleven month old infant with a systemic reaction after ingestion of a pine processionary caterpillar is presented. The boy reached the Emergency Room with orofacial edema, drooling and urticaria. Drug treatment was enough to resolve the symptoms. The patient did not present airway commitment, nor anaphylaxis data at any moment, so more aggressive actions, such as endotracheal intubation, endoscopy or laryngoscopy, were rejected.

Keywords : Insects; Foreign-body reaction; Anaphylaxis; Urticaria; Children.

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