Severe Hemorrhagic Syndrome After Lonomia Caterpillar Envenomation in the Western Brazilian Amazon: How Many More Cases Are There?

Publication date: Available online 10 January 2017 Source:Wilderness & Environmental Medicine Author(s): João Hugo A. Santos, Sâmella S. Oliveira, Eliane C. Alves, Iran Mendonça-da-Silva, Jacqueline A.G. Sachett, Antonio Tavares, Luiz Carlos Ferreira, Hui Wen Fan, Marcus V.G. Lacerda, Wuelton M. Monteiro Contact with Lonomia caterpillars can cause a hemorrhagic syndrome. In Brazil, Lonomia obliqua and Lonomia achelous are known to cause this venom-induced disease. In the Brazilian Amazon, descriptions of this kind of envenomation are scarce. Herein, we report a severe hemorrhagic syndrome caused by Lonomia envenomation in the Amazonas state, Western Brazilian Amazon. The patient showed signs of hemorrhage lasting 8 days and required Lonomia antivenom administration, which resulted in resolution of hemorrhagic syndrome. Thus, availability of Lonomia antivenom as well as early antivenom therapy administration should be addressed across remote areas in the Amazon.
Source: Wilderness and Environmental Medicine - Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research