How dangerous is the caterpillar poisoning?

Cystaras worms are extremely poisonous, causing protein damage, intestinal necrosis, multiple organ failure, and most deaths.

Doctor Nguyen Trung Nguyen, Center for Poison Control, Bach Mai Hospital, Hanoi, said cases of deep poisoning described the situation as very serious. Most patients are exposed to this worm through the gastrointestinal tract, with multiple organ damage, multiple organ failure, and mortality rates of more than 50%.

Patients with cholera poisoning often suffer from multiple organ damage, hypotension, respiratory failure. Blood tests showed severe acidosis in the blood, muscle and kidney damage, and liver failure.

"The toxin of the birch worm is cantharidin, very poisonous, destroying protein . Every 1mg of cantharidin when entering the body is enough to cause poisoning, 10mg will cause the victim to die," said Dr. Nguyen.

Picture 1 of How dangerous is the caterpillar poisoning?
Deep cat.

The toxin of the worms secretes closely resembles the fluid from the three-chamber ant, if it sticks to the handle and accidentally applied to the eyes, rubbing the eyes will burn, hurt the cornea. Cantharidin enters the body through the gastrointestinal tract causing severe poisoning, gastric and intestinal damage, abdominal pain, vomiting, gastrointestinal bleeding, intestinal necrosis.

Only deep contact through the skin, such as using a hand to catch directly, the respiratory tract (opening the condom to breathe deeply) is enough to cause serious allergies, especially for thin skin, with open wounds. Toxic gas from deep into the eyes will feel spicy, burning.

Poison Control Center, Bach Mai Hospital, recently received nearly a dozen patients with severe intoxication of cholera. Recently, the Center for Poison Control rescued 4 people in a family in Thanh Hoa poisoned after eating worms.

These four people ate roasted winged insects caught in corn plants, unknown to the caterpillars. After eating for about 20-30 minutes, they have a sore throat, abdominal pain, vomiting, vomiting of blood fluid, and loose stools. Patients who were admitted to the emergency hospital in Thanh Hoa province who were suffering from kidney failure and metabolic acidosis should forward to the Poison Control Center, Bach Mai Hospital. Two patients died later, one suffering from complications such as kidney failure, pneumonia, and hepatitis, with only one being saved.

According to Dr. Nguyen, world medicine does not yet have an effective treatment regimen for cases of cholera poisoning. The actual course of treatment depends on the condition of the existing facilities as well as the resuscitation capacity of the medical facility and the patient's health status. Treatment costs are very expensive. Most patients with cholera poisoning lead to death.

The worm has the scientific name Cantharis vesicatoria, also known as cystic worms, ban ban manh, mao ban. This is a beetle-like insect, greenish green, about 15-20 mm long, 4-6 mm horizontal, heart-shaped head, with longitudinal groove in the middle, filament-black beard. The body has 11 stings, there is a constriction between the head and body. Above the wings are black with yellow or light red dots; or yellow body with black points or strips.

Doctor Nguyen warned people not to catch cat litter to prevent poisoning, absolutely not eat cat litter . If you come into contact with cataracts and are poisoned by a poison, redness in the skin or eyes, wash the burning area with clean water, blink immediately, then seek medical attention immediately.