Allergy Section, Hospital Universitario Río Hortega, C/Dulzaina 2, Valladolid, Spain.
Contact Dermatitis. 2011 Apr;64(4):220-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0536.2011.01884.x.
Thaumetopoea pityocampa [pine processionary moth (PPM)] is one of the most important lepidopteran agents causing urticant cutaneous reactions in humans in Mediterranean countries. This species is also expanding northwards, because of global warming.
To investigate the prevalence, distribution by habitat group and possible risk factors of PPM cutaneous reactions in adults.
A randomly designed survey was carried out on 1224 adults.
A point prevalence, estimated after corrections, of 8.7% was obtained (12% rural areas, 9.6% for semi-urban areas, and 4.4% for urban areas). The data showed a significantly higher risk of self-reported symptoms according to sex [p < 0.005; males, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.84], habitat (p < 0.0005; rural, aOR 1.8; semi-urban, aOR 1.2), frequency of visits to pinewood areas (p < 0.005; daily exposure, aOR 2.1), and occupational exposure (p < 0.0001; aOR 5.04, 90% were males). Airborne contamination was the most important cause of reactions (83.3% of 48 participants who visited the hospital and fulfilled the criteria for a convincing reaction presented with symptoms after walking on/passing by pine tree areas).
These findings show that PPM cutaneous reactions are common in this southern European population, including peripheral urban areas, and that the main risk is related to exposure to this insect.
Thaumetopoea pityocampa（松毛虫）是在地中海国家引起人类瘙痒性皮肤反应的最重要鳞翅目昆虫之一。由于全球变暖，该物种也在向北扩张。
调查成人中松毛虫皮肤反应的流行率、按栖息地组分布和可能的危险因素。
对 1224 名成年人进行了随机设计的调查。
经校正后，点患病率估计为 8.7%（农村地区为 12%，半城市地区为 9.6%，城市地区为 4.4%）。数据显示，根据性别（p < 0.005；男性，调整后的优势比（aOR）为 1.84）、栖息地（p < 0.0005；农村，aOR 为 1.8；半城市，aOR 为 1.2）、访问松林地区的频率（p < 0.005；每日暴露，aOR 为 2.1）和职业暴露（p < 0.0001；aOR 为 5.04，90%为男性），自报症状的风险显著更高。空气传播污染是反应的最重要原因（83.3%的 48 名符合有说服力反应标准并在经过/路过松树林地区后出现症状的就诊者）。
这些发现表明，PPM 皮肤反应在该南欧人群中很常见，包括周边城市地区，主要风险与接触这种昆虫有关。
