Abstract

VILLABONA-ROSALES, Sergio Alberto et al. Mild lonomic accident attributed to the Caterpillar of the lonomia obliqua species in the department of Santander, Colombia, 2021. Medicas UIS [online]. 2022, vol.35, n.3, pp.55-62.  Epub Apr 17, 2023. ISSN 0121-0319.  https://doi.org/10.18273/revmed.v35n3-2022006.

Caterpillars of the genus Lonomia, of the order Lepidoptera, family Saturnidae are of medical interest in South America for being the cause of lonomism, poisoning that is increasing more and more in Colombia, with mortality rates of 2.5%, the severity is variable and they are not mandatory notification, which leads to an underreporting of these events. We present the case of a young adult woman, who went to the emergency room due to the bite of 20 Lonomia caterpillars in the palm of her left hand, generating local inflammatory signs, pain and limitation of hand mobility. She was hospitalized for 3 days, classified as mild and treated with analgesia and intravenous antihistamine; which achieved favorable evolution. Therefore, it was concluded that Lonomia caterpillar poisoning is an emergency, which can be fatal. It is important that these events are known in the literature for their proper approach.

Keywords : Lepidoptera; Arthropod Venoms; Biological Toxins; Fibrinolysis.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )