Hypertension and abdominal pain: uncommon presentation after exposure to apine caterpillar

The pine caterpillar Thaumatopoea wilkinsoni is found in pine woods all ove r Israel. Contact with its hair usually results in local reactions. Systemi c reactions after contact with caterpillar hairs are known in other caterpi llar species, but have been described only once after contact with T. wilki nsoni. We describe a group of adolescents who were exposed to T. wilkinsoni while camping in a pine wood. Three of them were referred to an emergency department, They had severe pruritus, pain and edema at the contact sites, with papular and urticarial rashes. Two of the patients had abdominal pain and one patient had hypertension for several hours. The hypertension resolv ed spontaneously. Conclusion: Skin eruptions are the most common manifestat ions of T. wilkinsoni contact, however, although systemic manifestations ar e rare, abdominal pain and hypertension may occur. (C) 1999 Elsevier Scienc e Ltd. All rights reserved.