Rosselli Diego, Wetterer James K
Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Department, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Medical School, Carrera 7 No. 40-62, Bogota, Colombia.
Wilkes Honors College, Florida Atlantic University, 5353 Parkside Drive, Jupiter, FL 33458.
J Med Entomol. 2017 Nov 7;54(6):1783-1785. doi: 10.1093/jme/tjx167.
Numerous researchers have observed a form of punctate corneal lesions causing leukomas (corneal opacities) in humans, domestic animals, and wild animals in different parts of the world. This condition has been reported under different names, including West Indian (or Caribbean) punctate keratopathy, West Indian dots, tropical punctate keratopathy, Rice's keratopathy, Florida keratopathy, and Florida spots. Many of these cases, appear to have a common cause, the stings of a small red ant, Wasmannia auropunctata (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), originally from the Neotropics, but spread to other parts of the world through human commerce. The purpose of this article is to link disparate literature on punctate or nummular corneal lesions published in medical, veterinary, wildlife, and entomology journals, because many researchers seem largely unaware of the literature from disciplines other than their own. Recognizing a common cause of this corneal condition is important to insure proper medical treatment and foster efforts to limit the spread and negative impact of W. auropunctata.
许多研究人员在世界不同地区的人类、家畜和野生动物中观察到一种点状角膜病变，可导致角膜白斑（角膜混浊）。这种病症有不同的名称，包括西印度（或加勒比）点状角膜病、西印度斑点、热带点状角膜病、赖斯角膜病、佛罗里达角膜病和佛罗里达斑点。这些病例中的许多似乎有一个共同原因，即一种小红蚁——金刻沃氏蚁（膜翅目：蚁科）的叮咬，这种蚂蚁原产于新热带地区，但通过人类贸易传播到了世界其他地区。本文的目的是将医学、兽医、野生动物和昆虫学杂志上发表的关于点状或钱币状角膜病变的不同文献联系起来，因为许多研究人员似乎很大程度上不了解自己学科以外的文献。认识到这种角膜病症的共同原因对于确保适当的医学治疗以及推动限制金刻沃氏蚁传播和负面影响的努力非常重要。
