French Armed Forces Center for Epidemiology and Public Health (CESPA), Marseille 13568, France.
Sainte Anne Military Teaching Hospital, Toulon 83000, France.
Mil Med. 2023 Aug 29;188(9-10):3066-3070. doi: 10.1093/milmed/usac101.
Meloidae are distributed in temperate and arid regions but are also common in subtropical and tropical savannahs. These insects contain cantharidin, a vesicant substance that can cause poisoning by ingestion and dermatitis by direct contact.
We describe recurrent Meloidae-related dermatitis outbreaks and their health impact by analyzing medical consultation records and meteorological data.
Between 2015 and 2019, dermatitis outbreaks took place at a French military base at the end of the rainy season, from July to August, with 100 cases reported in 2015, 74 in 2017, 100 in 2018, and 36 in 2019. In 2017, the incidence rate was 4.4% for the base's population. Initial medical consultations represented 31.5% of total medical care activity. Meloidae were identified as Cyaneolytta fryi.
These outbreaks of burn-like lesions, although clinically benign, can place a considerable burden on the medical activity of health care facilities. The diagnosis of Meloidae dermatitis is exclusively anamnestic and clinical and requires reported contact with the insect. The treatment protocol is that of standard burn care, and the best preventive measure is to avoid bright white lights. Military personnel, foreign workers, and travelers venturing into the Sahel should be warned of the risks associated with these beetles.
芫菁科分布于温带和干旱地区，但也常见于亚热带和热带稀树草原。这些昆虫含有斑蝥素，这是一种刺激性物质，可通过摄入和直接接触引起中毒和皮炎。
我们通过分析医疗咨询记录和气象数据，描述了芫菁科相关皮炎的反复发作及其对健康的影响。
2015 年至 2019 年，法国一个军事基地在雨季结束后的 7 月至 8 月发生了皮炎暴发，2015 年报告了 100 例，2017 年报告了 74 例，2018 年报告了 100 例，2019 年报告了 36 例。2017 年，该基地的发病率为 4.4%。最初的医疗咨询占总医疗活动的 31.5%。鉴定出的芫菁科昆虫为 Cyaneolytta fryi。
这些类似烧伤的病变虽然临床良性，但会给医疗机构的医疗活动带来相当大的负担。芫菁科皮炎的诊断完全是基于病史和临床，需要报告与昆虫的接触。治疗方案是标准烧伤护理，最好的预防措施是避免明亮的白光。应警告进入萨赫勒地区的军事人员、外国工人和旅行者注意这些甲虫带来的风险。
