An outbreak of paederus dermatitis in a suburban hospital in Sri Lanka

• Published in: International journal of dermatology Vol. 36; no. 1; pp. 34 - 36
• Main Authors: Kamaladasa, Satheeka D., Perera, W.D.H., Weeratunge, L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-01-1997; Blackwell Science
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Coleoptera; Dermatitis - epidemiology; Dermatitis - etiology; Dermatitis - prevention & control; Dermatology; Disease Outbreaks - prevention & control; Female; Humans; Insect Bites and Stings - complications; Male; Medical sciences; Personnel, Hospital; Skin involvement in other diseases. Miscellaneous. General aspects; Sri Lanka - epidemiology; Tropical medicine; Asia; Sri Lanka; Infectious focus; Human; Biological fluid; Skin disease; Contact dermatitis; Staphylinidae; Coleoptera; Arthropoda; Insecta; Animal origin; Irritant compound; Invertebrata
• ISSN: 0011-9059; 1365-4632
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-4362.1997.00009.x

Background
In a modern hospital built recently in Sri Lanka the staff members on night shifts and some patients in the open wards were known to be affected by an acute vesicating dermatitis. The study was carried out to identify the cause of the dermatitis and recommend preventive measures.
Methods
Members of the hospital staff and patients who developed an acute vesicating dermatitis over a period of 2 years were studied using a questionnaire. The clinical features, relationship to night shifts and the month of occurrence were noted. Insects were caught at night on several occasions and identified. Lesions were reproduced in volunteers.
Results
Out of a total of 124 patients studied, 108 were members of the hospital staff and it was noted that they had all been on night shifts within 2 days prior to the onset of the lesions. The insect caught belongs to class Coleoptera, family Staphylinidae, genus Paederus, and species fuscipes. The incidence was seasonal with clustering of cases seen to occur twice a year.
Conclusions
This IS an outbreak of dermatltls due to Paederus fusicipes. Awareness of the condition and its clinical features will prevent misdiagnosis and the simple preventive measures suggested are based on the behavioral pattern of this nocturnal beetle.