Millipede Envenomation Follow-up
- Author: Robert L Norris, MD; Chief Editor: Scott H Plantz, MD, FAAEM more...
Further Outpatient Care
- Follow-up care is generally unnecessary for millipede envenomation unless local complications ensue or the eyes are involved.
- In ocular cases, the patient should be examined daily until the eye is healed.
Deterrence/Prevention
- Beyond avoidance of handling millipedes, little deterrence is required.
Complications
- Cutaneous exposures generally heal without complications.
- Conjunctivitis or corneal ulcerations can complicate eye exposures.
Prognosis
- Millipede envenomations are self-limited.
Hare T. Poisonous Dwellers of the Desert. Tucson, AZ: Southwest Parks and Monuments Association; 1995.
Peters S. A Colour Atlas of Arthropods in Clinical Medicine. Barcelona, Spain: Wolfe Publishing Ltd; 1992.
Williams LA, Singh PD, Caleb-Williams LS. Biology and biological action of the defensive secretion from a Jamaican millipede. Naturwissenschaften. 1997;84(4):143-4. [Medline].
Shimizu N, Kuwahara Y, Yakumaru R, Tanabe T. n-Hexyl laurate and fourteen related fatty acid esters: new secretory compounds from the julid millipede, Anaulaciulus sp. J Chem Ecol. Jan 2012;38(1):23-8. [Medline].
Hendrickson RG. Millipede exposure. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2005;43(3):211-2. [Medline].
Mason GH, Thomson HD, Fergin P, Anderson R. Spot diagnosis. The burning millipede. Med J Aust. Jun 6 1994;160(11):718, 726. [Medline].
Radford AJ. Giant millipede burns in Papua New Guinea. P N G Med J. Sep 1976;18(3):138-41. [Medline].
Radford AJ. Millipede burns in man. Trop Geogr Med. Sep 1975;27(3):279-87. [Medline].
Dar NR, Raza N, Rehman SB. Millipede burn at an unusual site mimicking child abuse in an 8-year-old girl. Clin Pediatr (Phila). Jun 2008;47(5):490-2. [Medline].
De Capitani EM, Vieira RJ, Bucaretchi F, Fernandes LC, Toledo AS, Camargo AC. Human accidents involving Rhinocricus spp., a common millipede genus observed in urban areas of Brazil. Clin Toxicol (Phila). Mar 2011;49(3):187-90. [Medline].
Hudson BJ, Parsons GA. Giant millipede 'burns' and the eye. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. Mar-Apr 1997;91(2):183-5. [Medline].

