Millipede Envenomation 

  • Author: Robert L Norris, MD; Chief Editor: Scott H Plantz, MD, FAAEM   more...
 
Updated: Apr 20, 2009
 

Background

Millipedes are elongated cylindrical creatures that bear 2 pairs of legs per body segment and are found in a wide variety of habitats. They are generally very slow-moving creatures and are relatively innocuous. Falling into the class Diplopoda and the phylum Arthropoda, millipedes comprise some 7000 species.[1, 2]

The desert millipede, Orthoporus ornatus. Photo byThe desert millipede, Orthoporus ornatus. Photo by Robert Norris, MD. Millipede contact injury on day 3 following exposuMillipede contact injury on day 3 following exposure.
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Pathophysiology

Millipedes do not have biting mouthparts or fangs. Their medical importance comes from their ability to secrete an irritating defensive liquid from pores along their sides. Such secretions contain benzoquinones, aldehydes, hydrocyanic acid, phenols, terpenoids, nitroethylbenzenes, and other substances.[3]

Some species are capable of squirting these liquids to distances of up to 25 cm.

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Epidemiology

Mortality/Morbidity

No deaths have been documented from millipede exposures, and it is unlikely that such an exposure could be fatal, even to a small child.[4]

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Robert L Norris, MD  Professor, Department of Surgery; Chief, Division of Emergency Medicine, Stanford University Medical Center

Robert L Norris, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, California Medical Association, International Society of Toxinology, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, and Wilderness Medical Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

James Li, MD  Former Assistant Professor, Division of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Board of Directors, Remote Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John T VanDeVoort, PharmD  Regional Director of Pharmacy, Sacred Heart & St. Joseph's Hospitals

John T VanDeVoort, PharmD is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Richard H Sinert, DO  Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Research Director, State University of New York College of Medicine; Consulting Staff, Department of Emergency Medicine, Kings County Hospital Center

Richard H Sinert, DO is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John D Halamka, MD, MS  Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Scott H Plantz, MD, FAAEM  Associate Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Chicago Medical School; Medical Director, WeCare Med, Inc

Scott H Plantz, MD, FAAEM is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

  1. Hare T. Poisonous Dwellers of the Desert. Tucson, AZ: Southwest Parks and Monuments Association; 1995.

  2. Peters S. A Colour Atlas of Arthropods in Clinical Medicine. Barcelona, Spain: Wolfe Publishing Ltd; 1992.

  3. 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].

  4. Hendrickson RG. Millipede exposure. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2005;43(3):211-2. [Medline].

  5. Mason GH, Thomson HD, Fergin P, Anderson R. Spot diagnosis. The burning millipede. Med J Aust. Jun 6 1994;160(11):718, 726. [Medline].

  6. Radford AJ. Giant millipede burns in Papua New Guinea. P N G Med J. Sep 1976;18(3):138-41. [Medline].

  7. Radford AJ. Millipede burns in man. Trop Geogr Med. Sep 1975;27(3):279-87. [Medline].

  8. 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].

  9. Hudson BJ, Parsons GA. Giant millipede 'burns' and the eye. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. Mar-Apr 1997;91(2):183-5. [Medline].

 
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The desert millipede, Orthoporus ornatus. Photo by Robert Norris, MD.
The desert millipede, Orthoporus ornatus. Photo by Robert Norris, MD.
Millipede contact injury on day 3 following exposure.
 
 
 
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