Unknown Insect Research Articles

Effect of Bilvapatra Lepa (Aegle Marmelos) over unknown insect bite Poisoning - A Single Case Study

Ayurveda is the ancient science of life, has eight branches. According to Ayurved there are two main types of poison – Natural and Artificial. Natural poison is of two types – Sthavar and Jangam. (1) Danstrachikita is a Ayurveda toxicology branch. Insect bite is comes under Jangam Visha. A 9 year boy, while playing cricket affect with unknown insect bite complying of itching, swelling, redness and burning pain over upper back region. He was treated by local application of Bilvapatra Lepa (Aegle marmelos). Aegle marmelos is one of the important plants which have medicinal as well as other properties. This study shows that external application of Bilvapatra Lepa is effective in the treatment of unknown insect bite (Kitakadansha)

Japanese spotted fever complicated with pleural effusion in Zhejiang province, China: a case report and literature review.

Japanese spotted fever (JSF) mainly occurs in Japan; however, it has been increasingly reported in China. JSF is typically characterized by fever, rash, and eschar, in addition to non-specific symptoms. Yet, reports on the pulmonary indicators in JSF are limited. Herein, we report an unusual case of JSF associated with pleural effusion and pneumonia, in which the pathogen was identified via blood next-generation sequencing (NGS). We report a case of a 33-year-old woman who presented with fever for five days, rash for two days, and myalgia, fatigue, and edema for one day. She had recently been on vacation when an unknown insect bit her. The doctors at the local primary hospital considered a bacterial infection and administered dexamethasone, ceftriaxone, indomethacin, and anti-allergy agents, but the symptoms persisted. A rash without pruritus or pain developed gradually over the entire body and face. We considered rickettsial infection and administered doxycycline and levofloxacin. Metagenomic NGS from blood confirmed the presence of Rickettsia japonica (R. japonica). Abdominal computed tomography revealed bilateral pleural effusion with two atelectasis; patchy shadows with blurred edges, and uniform enhancement in both lower lungs. After several days of treatment, the symptoms and laboratory results improved. A literature review of the epidemiology of R. japonica and JSF in China, characteristics of JSF, and related pulmonary changes, and technology to diagnose JSF is provided. JSF has a variety of symptoms and is becoming increasingly popular in China. Clinical doctors need to identify it carefully.

Ayurvedic management of Unknown Insect Bite (Keeta Visha) - A Case Report

Acharya Charaka in Chikitsasthan of Charaka Samhita, Acharya Sushruta in Kalpasthan of Sushruta Samhita and Acharya Vagbhata in Uttartantra of Ashtanga Hridaya recited the origin of Visha and Keeta Visha. Acharya Sushruta has explained Keeta Visha under Jangama Visha (Animate poison) and categorized 67 different type of Keeta under mainly 4 groups. It causes acute as well as severe manifestations in the human beings. The main characteristics of insect bite are itching, burning sensation, erythema at the site of bite. As there are various types of Keeta Visha, hence they vary in their diagnosis and treatment and most of the time they are unidentified as signs and symptoms may resembles the skin disease. This is case report of 25 year old female who had given the history of unknown insect bite and presented to the outpatient department with the complaints of itching, burning sensation, spreading erythema over the skin of neck region. In Sushruta Samhita in Kalpasthan Acharya Sushruta has mentioned Dushivishari Agad as a most potent Agad for all types of Visha. Hence, patient was treated with Dushivishari Agad orally along with local application of Shatdhautghrita which also has Vishaghna properties. In present case Dushivishari Agad and Shatdhautghrita have shown assuring results in the management of unknown insect bite.

Don't bug me!: The role of names, functions, and feelings in shaping children's and adults' conservation attitudes about unappealing species

Current threats to biodiversity are profound, yet relatively little is systematically known from controlled studies about the factors that promote conservation attitudes, moral concern, and environmentalist behavior in relation to endangered species that are unfamiliar or aversive. In two experiments, we drew on cognitive and developmental research to explore the causal influence of scientific naming, and conceptual information about anthropocentric or biocentric functional effects on US urban adults' (Study 1) and 9- to 11-year-old children's (Study 2) attitudes about conserving recently discovered insects. We also explored whether negative emotional reactions outweigh conceptual information about names and functions when predicting conservation concern. In Study 1, scientific labels largely had no effect on urban adults' baseline ambivalence about the importance of conserving unfamiliar arthropods. However, conservation concern was increased by hearing about the insects' functional behavior, particularly anthropocentric functions that benefit humans. Adults' feelings of disgust about the insects negatively predicted conservation attitudes; however, emotions never outweighed conceptual information in predicting adults' attitudes or behavior. Study 2 found that, as with adults, scientific labeling information either had no, or a negative, impact on urban fourth and fifth graders' baseline ambivalence to preserving unknown insects. However, both biocentric and anthropocentric functional information increased concern: Fourth graders were particularly moved by biocentric functions while fifth graders showed a greater anthropocentric bias. Children's emotional reactions were also predictive. Unlike with adults, children's feelings sometimes outweighed effects of conceptual information in predicting conservationist responses. Together, these findings illuminate developmental trajectories in conservation attitudes, especially biocentrism, in urban US children and adults. They also shed light on factors that can be manipulated (e.g., by communication specialists) to provoke conservation concern. Importantly, they clarify the role of words, functions, and feelings in shaping social and moral attitudes.

First report of 16SrII group (Peanut witches' Broom) Phytoplasmas associated with the Leucas aspera Phyllody in India.

Leucas aspera (Wild.) Linn. (Family: Lamiaceae) is a commonly found weed throughout India, known for its pharmacological properties. Its white flowers and leaves are used in many Ayurvedic formulations for the treatment of chronic rheumatism, psoriasis, snake bites and skin eruptions (Prajapathi et al., 2010). During a survey of commercial flower crop fields in May 2018, a few L. aspera plants, growing as unwanted weeds in the fields and surrounding agricultural wastelands with the symptoms of phyllody, virescence and little leaves were observed in Emmekoppalu (12.2106, 76.2511; n= 1/26 plants) and Beerihundi (12.1630, 76.3225; n= 2/59 plants) localities of Mysuru district, and Srirangapatna in Mandya district (12.2541, 76.411; 1/67 plants), Karnataka- India(Figure 1). 'n' denotes the symptomatic/ asymptomatic samples observed. The disease incidence in the surveyed localities ranged less than four per cent. The total genomic DNA was extracted from the leaf midrib tissues of three representative symptomatic and two asymptomatic samples using the CTAB method. The phytoplasma 16S rRNA gene was amplified in nested PCR assay by P1/P7 followed by R16F2n/R16R2 primers using Long Amplification (LA) Taq polymerase (Takara, Japan). Additionally, the PCR assays were performed for the amplification of phytoplasma secA gene using the primers SecAfor1/SecArev3 and SecAfor2/SecArev3 (Hodgetts et al., 2008). The DNA templates from all the symptomatic samples generated amplicons of approximately 1.25kb (16S rRNA gene) and 480 bp (secA gene) revealing the association of phytoplasma strains. No amplifications were observed for the asymptomatic L. aspera samples. The obtained 16S rRNA gene sequences (MN223676, MT807111 and MZ093053) showed 97.96, 98.37 and 98.18 % sequence identity, respectively; with the 'Candidatus Phytoplasma aurantifolia', strain 'WBDL (U15442) using EzBiocloud database. The NCBI-BLAST analysis revealed maximum identity to various Peanut witches' Broom (PWB) phytoplasma strains. The virtual RFLP tool, iPhyClassifier delineated the Leucas phyllody phytoplasma strains (MN223676, MT807111 and MZ093053) to group 16SrII (PWB, Peanut Witches' broom group) subgroup D with the similarity coefficient 1.0 (Zhao et al. 2009). The obtained secA gene sequences (MZ151944, MZ151945 and MZ151946) were 98.15 to 100 % similar to the strain sequences of PWB phytoplasma strains. Further, the clustering pattern in the phylogenetic trees (16S rRNA and secA genes) constructed using MEGA 7 confirmed that the Leucas phyllody phytoplasma sequences were closely related to PWB strains. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the association of 16SrII-D subgroup phytoplasma with the phyllody disease of L. aspera. In India, many weeds and wild plants serve as alternative hosts of PWB phytoplasmas and aid in the emergence of related diseases in economically important crops (Thorat et al., 2016; Thorat et al., 2017). The close genetic association of phytoplasma strains found in L. aspera and many other crops indicates the presence of common insect vector(s) transmitting these phytoplasmas (Yadav et al. 2015). This report is an addition to the catalogue of the weed species harboring phytoplasma strains associated with economically important crop plants (Rao et al., 2017). The screening of phytoplasma strains in weeds, alternate hosts and known/ unknown insect vectors is therefore essential to develop management strategies and effective management of phytophagous insect vectors feeding on both weeds and crop plants.

LIPARTHRUM COLCHICUMSEMENOV (COLEOPTERA CURCULIONIDAE SCOLYTINAE) IN ITALY: INTRODUCED, ESTABLISHED OR NATIVE SPECIES?

Liparthrum colchicumSemenov (Coleoptera Curculionidae Scolytinae) is a relatively unknown monophagous insect species primarily associated with thin dried twigs (about 0.5-1cm in diameter) of Laurel (Laurus nobilis). After being caught in traps located at Italian ports, it was initially considered an intercepted species alien to the country. However, recent findings, suggest that this beetle may have a different origin. Several records from different sites of Tuscany and Latium showed that it could be relatively widespread in Italy. These observations strengthened the hypothesis that this scolytid, harmless to L. nobilis, might be already established or even native to the country. Therefore, we argue that it could have been easily overlooked thus far, as it thrives only in twigs already wilted due to different environmental factors. Moreover, field observations, carried out in the two Italian Regions, evidenced high frequencies of its infestations in Laurel twigs previously colonized by Xylosandrus compactus. Notes on the taxonomy and biology of this species are also reported in the present wo

First report of litchi stink bug (Tessaratoma javanica Thunberg) outbreak in Bangladesh

Litchi growers reported the infestation of an unknown insect pest recently in the north-eastern part of Bangladesh, which affected litchi production remarkably. A field survey was conducted to identify this invasive insect species, and the biology of this insect was studied under laboratory conditions. Further, damage severity of the insect was determined in the affected litchi orchards. Based on morphological features, the invasive species was identified as litchi stink bug, Tessaratoma javanica (Thunberg) (Hemiptera: Tessaratomidae). Female stink bugs laid eggs in clusters (2.0) either upper or lower surface of both mature and young litchi leaves. After egg hatching, nymphs completed five distinct instars before reaching to adults. Longevity of adult litchi stink bug varied on sex types, while females lived longer than males. The level of litchi stink bug infestation varied greatly in the survey areas. The infestation of stink bug did not find in all inflorescence of the attacked plants. Significantly decreased fruits were recorded in the infested inflorescence. This study firstly confirm the invasion of litchi stink bug in Bangladesh, and this information would help scientist to develop IPM strategies against this destructive stink bug species using available resources.

ACLEES CF. SP. FOVEATUS (COLEOPTERA CURCULIONIDAE), AN EXOTIC PEST OF FICUS CARICA IN ITALY: A SUSTAINABLE APPROACH TO DEFENCE BASED ON ALUMINOSILICATE MINERALS AS HOST PLANT MASKING SOLIDS

The exceptionally frequent entries of alien pest are a major source of concern for the farmers who haveto protect their crops from unknown insects, often without natural enemies in the new areas. A new pestbelonging to the Molytinae family (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), tribe Hylobiini, reported as Acleessp. cf.foveatusVoss, was recently introduced in Italy. The species is responsible for severe damages in many Italianfig nurseries and orchards, particularly in the Italian Central Northern regions, i.e. Tuscany, Ligury andLatium. Currently, no active ingredients are registered against this insect on fig crops. An innovative and eco-friendly approach for controlling this exotic weevil infestation was investigated, by using montmorillonite-based clays, either in their native state or containing copper(II) species, and clinoptilolite zeolites, in order tocheck the perception of the adults’ weevil towards the different solid materials and, subsequently, to evaluatethe capability of these innovative products to act as masking agent with respect to the host plant and/or asrepellent upon contact. The formulations containing copper(II)-exchanged clay and clinoptilolite zeoliteshowed preliminary promising results in terms of efficacy and environmental sustainability.

Aquatic insect trackways from Jurassic playa lakes: Reinterpretation ofLunulipes obscurus(Hitchcock, 1865) based on neoichnological experiments

The ichnospecies Lunulipes obscurus is reevaluated and a new diagnosis provided. All samples from Early Jurassic lacustrine deposits of the Deerfield Basin in Massachusetts, USA that were previously determined to bear Lunulipes or Lunulipes-like traces were examined. This reevaluation revealed that the ichnospecies is restricted only to two slabs. The morphology of Lunulipes obscurus suggests that its arthropod maker beat a single pair of legs synchronously. This type of locomotion is used by aquatic insects such as backswimmers (Notonectidae), water boatmen (Corixidae), and predaceous diving beetles (Dytiscidae). Neoichnological experiments with these three taxa indicate that water boatmen produce trackways that are the most similar to the fossil, and hence we conclude that a water boatman or an unknown insect that employed a similar method of swimming produced the Early Jurassic traces. These trackways provide the first tentative evidence of water boatmen in the Deerfield Basin, and, if correctly identified, represent the first trace fossils of this aquatic insect group anywhere.

Jalaukavacharana (Leech application) and adjuvant therapy in the management of infected wound

Infected wounds are manifested as a complication of trauma or due to various pathological conditions and are difficult to manage because of their non-healing nature. In Ayurveda, infected wounds can be compared with Dusta vrana. Besides other modalities of treatment; leech application has been emphasized in the management of such manifestations. A male patient of 45 years age having Vata kaphaja prakriti visited OPD of Shalya tantra with complaints of severe pain, swelling with ulceration over the dorsum of right foot and intermittent fever with history of unknown insect bite for the past two weeks. Local examination revealed an ulcer covered with necrotic tissue with progressive inflammatory changes. Based upon the history and clinical findings; the case was diagnosed as Dusta vrana due to Kita dansha. Leech application was done by following classical guidelines of Ayurveda. Simultaneously, cleaning of wound with Panchavalkala Kwatha and dressing with powder of Katupila (Securinega leucopyrus) mixed with Tila Taila (sesame oil) was done daily. Changes in size, shape, floor, and margin of the ulcer were recorded at regular interval. Pain, discharge were completely subsided after three consecutive sittings of leech application. The ulcer was completely healed within two months with minimal scar formation. Leech application along with local application of Katupila has significant role in controlling inflammation and promoting healing of infected wounds without any adverse effect.

Osteopathology and insect traces in the Australopithecus africanus skeleton StW 431


 
 
 We present the first application of high-resolution micro computed tomography in an analysis of both the internal and external morphology of the lumbar region of StW 431 – a hominin skeleton recovered from Member 4 infill of the Sterkfontein Caves (South Africa) in 1987. The lumbar vertebrae of the individual present a number of proliferative and erosive bony processes, which were investigated in this study. Investigations suggest a complex history of taphonomic alteration to pre-existing spinal degenerative joint disease (SDJD) as well as post-mortem modification by an unknown insect. This study is in agreement with previous pathological diagnoses of SDJD which affected StW 431 and is the first time insect traces on this hominin are described. The results of this analysis attest to the complex series of post-mortem processes affecting the Sterkfontein site and its fossil assemblages.
 
 
 
 
 Significance: 
 
 
 
 First application of high-resolution micro computed tomography of the lumbar region of StW 431, a partial skeleton of Australopithecus africanus, attests to pre-existing degenerative joint disease and identifies post-mortem modification by an unknown insect.
 The co-occurrence of degenerative pathology and insect modification may not be unique to StW 431. A combination of traditional morphoscopic analysis and non-invasive high-resolution tomography is recommended.
 
 
 

Rapid recovery of Patagonian plant–insect associations after the end-Cretaceous extinction

The Southern Hemisphere may have provided biodiversity refugia after the Cretaceous/Palaeogene (K/Pg) mass extinction. However, few extinction and recovery studies have been conducted in the terrestrial realm using well-dated macrofossil sites that span the latest Cretaceous (late Maastrichtian) and early Palaeocene (Danian) outside western interior North America (WINA). Here, we analyse insect-feeding damage on 3,646 fossil leaves from the latest Maastrichtian and three time slices of the Danian in Chubut, Patagonia, Argentina (palaeolatitude approximately 50° S). We test the southern refugial hypothesis and the broader hypothesis that the extinction and recovery of insect herbivores, a central component of terrestrial food webs, differed substantially from WINA at locations far south of the Chicxulub impact structure in Mexico. We find greater insect-damage diversity in Patagonia than in WINA during both the Maastrichtian and Danian, indicating a previously unknown insect richness. As in WINA, the total diversity of Patagonian insect damage decreased from the Cretaceous to the Palaeocene, but recovery to pre-extinction levels occurred within approximately 4 Myr compared with approximately 9 Myr in WINA. As for WINA, there is no convincing evidence for survival of any of the diverse Cretaceous leaf miners in Patagonia, indicating a severe K/Pg extinction of host-specialized insects and no refugium. However, a striking difference from WINA is that diverse, novel leaf mines are present at all Danian sites, demonstrating a considerably more rapid recovery of specialized herbivores and terrestrial food webs. Our results support the emerging idea of large-scale geographic heterogeneity in extinction and recovery from the end-Cretaceous catastrophe.

First report of Bradysia difformis (Diptera: Sciaridae) Damage to Phalaenopsis orchid in China

Phalaenopsis orchid is among the most valuable ornamental flowering plants in the world. Since visible damage substantially decreases its amenity, limited damage is allowed in its production. An unknown insect species (Diptera: Sciaridae) was found to cause serious damage to the seedling of the Phalaenopsis orchid in greenhouses in Guangdong, China. The insect occurred in high populations in almost all greenhouses that grow Phalaenopsis orchid and the number of sciarid adults trapped on a yellow sticky card could reach as many as 303 in 24h. An effective management strategy on any pest requires an accurate identification. Therefore, it is urgent to identify this pest correctly to mitigate its damage to the industry. Damage to Phalaenopsis orchid and morphological characteristics of the pest was described in this study. Molecular analyses based on the 488-bp portion of the mitochondrial DNA from the cytochrome oxidase I(mt COI) region were conducted to supplement morphological characteristics in identifying this pest. Both morphological characteristics and phylogenetic tree constructed with mt COI genes identified this sciarid as Bradysia difformis Frey, 1948 (= Bradysia paupera Tuomikoski, 1960) (Diptera: Sciaridae). A literature search indicated that B. difformis has been a common pest of greenhouse and forestry nurseries in Europe and South Africa. Our study is the first record of B. difformis damaging Phalaenopsis orchid in China.

The novel white spot syndrome virus-induced gene, PmERP15, encodes an ER stress-responsive protein in black tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon

By microarray screening, we identified a white spot syndrome virus (WSSV)-strongly induced novel gene in gills of Penaeus monodon. The gene, PmERP15, encodes a putative transmembrane protein of 15 kDa, which only showed some degree of similarity (54–59%) to several unknown insect proteins, but had no hits to shrimp proteins. RT-PCR showed that PmERP15 was highly expressed in the hemocytes, heart and lymphoid organs, and that WSSV-induced strong expression of PmERP15 was evident in all tissues examined. Western blot analysis likewise showed that WSSV strongly up-regulated PmERP15 protein levels. In WSSV-infected hemocytes, immunofluorescence staining showed that PmERP15 protein was colocalized with an ER enzyme, protein disulfide isomerase, and in Sf9 insect cells, PmERP15-EGFP fusion protein colocalized with ER -Tracker™ Red dye as well. GRP78, an ER stress marker, was found to be up-regulated in WSSV-infected P. monodon, and both PmERP15 and GRP78 were up-regulated in shrimp injected with ER stress inducers tunicamycin and dithiothreitol. Silencing experiments showed that although PmERP15 dsRNA-injected shrimp succumbed to WSSV infection more rapidly, the WSSV copy number had no significant changes. These results suggest that PmERP15 is an ER stress-induced, ER resident protein, and its induction in WSSV-infected shrimp is caused by the ER stress triggered by WSSV infection. Furthermore, although PmERP15 has no role in WSSV multiplication, its presence is essential for the survival of WSSV-infected shrimp.

Rapid and accurate taxonomic classification of insect (class Insecta) cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) DNA barcode sequences using a naïve Bayesian classifier

Current methods to identify unknown insect (class Insecta) cytochrome c oxidase (COI barcode) sequences often rely on thresholds of distances that can be difficult to define, sequence similarity cut-offs, or monophyly. Some of the most commonly used metagenomic classification methods do not provide a measure of confidence for the taxonomic assignments they provide. The aim of this study was to use a naïve Bayesian classifier (Wang et al. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2007; 73: 5261) to automate taxonomic assignments for large batches of insect COI sequences such as data obtained from high-throughput environmental sequencing. This method provides rank-flexible taxonomic assignments with an associated bootstrap support value, and it is faster than the blast-based methods commonly used in environmental sequence surveys. We have developed and rigorously tested the performance of three different training sets using leave-one-out cross-validation, two field data sets, and targeted testing of Lepidoptera, Diptera and Mantodea sequences obtained from the Barcode of Life Data system. We found that type I error rates, incorrect taxonomic assignments with a high bootstrap support, were already relatively low but could be lowered further by ensuring that all query taxa are actually present in the reference database. Choosing bootstrap support cut-offs according to query length and summarizing taxonomic assignments to more inclusive ranks can also help to reduce error while retaining the maximum number of assignments. Additionally, we highlight gaps in the taxonomic and geographic representation of insects in public sequence databases that will require further work by taxonomists to improve the quality of assignments generated using any method.

Shock and Pain: Centipede Bite Causing Reversible Myocardial Injury

INTRODUCTION: Centipedes are multisegmeted arthropods with a single pair of legs per segment and one pair of antennae .Centipede stings occur in the warmer climates throughout the world. The species of medical importance is Scolopendra Sp which has been described as the longest and the most aggressive tropical centipede. Centipede stings often occur as the victim is putting on clothes or while in bed.CASE PRESENTATION: A 19 yr old female arrived in our tertiary care emergency room at 5:30am after being treated at a local hospital for an unknown insect bite on her right arm 6 hrs prior while asleep.She had complaints of vomiting,dyspnea and local pain.She received antihistamines,steroids,epinephrine and analgesics for anaphylactic shock and pain prior to arrival.Her presenting vitals were a heart rate of 145 beats per minute, BP 60/40 mmHg ,respiratory rate of 35/min and oxygen saturation of 85% on room air. She had bilateral crackles and her hemoglobin,WBC count,electrolytes and PT,INR were normal. EKG revealed ST depression in V3,V4,V5,V6 leads (>2mm).Chest radiograph showed pulmonary edema and echocardiogram showed global hypokinesia of the left ventricle with EF of 40%,while troponin-t(2.98)was slightly elevated . Treatment was initiated with digoxin,carnitine and dobutamine infusion to support her cardiac output and furosemide was given for pulmonary edema along with non-invasive ventilation.She improved with therapy and a repeat echocardiogram two days later showed EF of 62% with normal LV function.Subsequent history and bystander observation confirmed the visual appearance of the insect to be a centipede.DISCUSSION: Gomes et al (1)used animal models to demonstrate significant cardiovascular effects of Scolopendra venom, mediated by histamine and a cardiodepressant factor designated as Toxin-S. Most authorities recognize the cardiodepressant Toxin-S to be the lethal factor (predatory), and the histamine/serotonin components to be pain mediators (defensive)(2). Systemic symptoms due to centipede bite may include anxiety, fever, dizziness, palpitations, and nausea. Extensive myonecrosis with subsequent compartment syndrome, rhabdomyolysis, and acute renal failure has been seen after a centipede bite.Japanese Scolopendra species have been reported to cause psychological disturbances and Korsakoff syndrome. A recent study suggests possible myocardial ischemia after a nonfatal centipede sting as a mechanism that could lead to death(3)CONCLUSIONS: There have been only a few cases of centipede envenomation causing myocardial ischaemia reported. Our case was notable due to the acute presentation of pulmonary edema with cardiac injury with raised cardiac enzyme levels. This complication should be considered when treating such patients, and appropriate diagnostic studies should be obtained.1) Gomes A, Datta A, Sarangi B, Kar PK, Lahiri SC. Occurrence of histamine and histamine release by centipede venom. Indian J Med Res. 1982;76:888.2) Stankiewicz M, Hamon A, Benkhalifa R, et al. Effects of a centipede venom fraction on insect nervous system, a native Xenopus oocyte receptor and on an expressed Drosophila muscarinic receptor. Toxicon.1999;37:1431-1445.3) Ozsarac M, Karcioglu O, Ayrik C, Somuncu F, Gumrukcu S. Acute coronary ischemia following centipede envenomation: Case report and review of the literature. Wilderness Environ Med. 2004;15:109-12DISCLOSURE: The following authors have nothing to disclose: Munta Kartik, Sai Praveen Haranath, Rahul Amte, Palepu GopalNo Product/Research Disclosure InformationApollo Hospitals, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, India. Language: en

Three new species of Laelaspis Berlese from Iran (Acari: Laelapidae), with a review of the species occurring in the Western Palaearctic Region

This paper reports on five species of mites of the genus Laelaspis associated with ants in Iran – Laelaspis astronomicus (Koch) from Tapinoma simrothi, Laelaspis equitans (Michael) from Messor sp. and Camponotus sp., Laelaspis kamalii Joharchi and Halliday sp. nov. from Tapinoma sp., Laelaspis pennatus Joharchi and Halliday sp. nov. from Tetramorium caespitum, and Laelaspis persicus Joharchi and Halliday sp. nov. from Pheidole pallidula. Laelaspis imitatus Reitblat has also been reported from Iran, in association with an unknown insect. A key to species of Laelaspis occurring in the Western Palaearctic Region is presented, with a summary of their host associations and biology.

Observation of effect of Jidesheng snake medicine on patients with bites by unknown poisonous inSects

Objective To observe the effect of Jidesheng snake medicine on patients with bites by unknown poisonous insects. Methods 69 cases with bites by unknown poisonous insects were randomly divided into the experimental group (35 cases)and the control group (34 cases).The experimental group used Jidesheng snake medicine for external application,the control group used povidone iodine.The treatment effect within one week was compared,including cure rate,total effective rate,satisfaction degree of patients and incidence rate of complication. Results After treatment,the cure rate and total effective rate of the experimental group was 71.43％ and 97.14％,higher than 61.76％ and 85.29％ of the control group.The incidence rate of complications was 2.86％ in the experimental group,lower than 8.82％ of the control group.The satisfaction degree of patients in the experimental group was 91.43％,significantly higher than 85.29％ of the control group. Conclusions Application of Jidesheng snake medicine in treatment of bites by unknown poisonous insects is more effective,and the incidence rate of complication was lower.It is worthy of clinical application. Key words: Jidesheng snake medicine; Bites by poisonous insects; Nursing

Autopsy diagnosis of a death due to scorpion stinging – A case report

Post-mortem diagnosis of envenomation by a scorpion with or without a reliable history is a herculean task for any forensic pathologist. The challenge is compounded when stinging occurs at night, with the history remaining unreliable. The autopsy diagnosis is further complicated when the inflicted wound is small, and the mark is obliterated by healing within few days. As the venom of a scorpion is a mixture of enzymes, most of the forensic science laboratories in India fail to diagnose the poisoning. We present a case in which there was no external evidence of stinging, but the internal post-mortem findings along with histology of the organ systems pointed towards the diagnosis and were corroborated by the history. We reemphasise the importance of pathological sampling of organ systems, whenever there is death due to a suspicious, unknown insect bite.

Eye can see a nest of worms!

In October, 2010, a 38-year-old woman presented with creeping sensation in her right eye, but without any systemic or visual symptoms. Her medical history was notable only for an unknown insect flying into her right eye during farm work about 3 months earlier. On examination, a live worm was seen moving out from the nasal upper eyelid of the right eye above the conjunctiva (figure A). This was further viewed with anterior segment optical coherence tomography (figure B). When proxymetacaine eye-drops were administered, preparing the eye for surgical exploration, more than two worms were seen moving (figure C, D).