Page 26 - JSOM Winter 2021

FIGURE 5 Golden egg mass of the canopy nesting form on an the hairs of the processionary caterpillar can be devastating in
Acacia branch. this environment. Increased focus on the Asia-Pacific region
will possibly lead to an increase in the numbers of US military
personnel rotating in Australia and an increase in the poten-
tial for these troops to encounter the adult bag-shelter moth
or one of its larval stages. Recognition of the nesting sites of
Photo courtesy of Julianne Farrell. Although members of the order Lepidoptera are not often con-
these insects will allow them to be avoided and recognition
of the symptoms of exposure will enable prompt treatment.

sidered to be harmful in the United States, the potential impact
of these insects on military personnel rotating or training in
Australia should be considered during all phases of medical
support and medical support planning.

Disclaimer
The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do
FIGURE 6 Small white egg mass typical of the ground-nesting form not necessarily reflect those of the US Army, the US Military
at the base of an Acacia.
Academy, the US Department of Defense, the Australian De-
fence Force and/or extant Defence Force Policy.

References
1. Hossler EW. Caterpillars and moths: Part II. Dermatologic mani-
festations of encounters with Lepidoptera. J Am Acad Dermatol.
2010;62(1):13–30.
2. Huang DZ. Dendrolimiasis: an analysis of 58 cases. J Trop Med
Hyg. 1991;94(2):79–87.
3. Dunlop K, Freeman S. Caterpillar dermatitis. Australian J Der-
matol. 1997;38(4):193–195.
4. Perkins LE, Zalucki MP, Perkins NR, et al. The urticating setae
Photo courtesy of Julianne Farrell. 5. de Boer JG, Harvey JA. Range-expansion in processionary moths
of Ochrogaster lunifer, an Australian processionary caterpillar of
veterinary importance. Med Vet Entomol. 2016;30(2):241–245.
and biological control. Insects. 2020;11(5):267–292.
6. Randell D, Fett M, Jenner H, et al. Epidemic of processionary cat-
erpillar dermatitis in military cadets. J Mil Vet Health. 2017;25
(3):7–10.
7. Hesler LS, Logan TM, Benenson MW, Moser C. Acute dermatitis
from oak processionary caterpillars in a U.S. military community
in Germany. Mil Med. 1999;164(11):767–770.
8. Maclellan N. Australia and the global re-alignment of US military
Animal Exposure forces. Dissent. 2011;(37):18.
Humans are not the only organism negatively impacted by the 9. Bowles DE, Swaby JA. Field guide to venomous and medically
processionary caterpillar. Domestic animals are highly suscep- important invertebrates affecting military operations: identifica-
tion, biology, symptoms, treatment. USAF Institute for Opera-
tible to setae exposure. This is because many domestic animals tional Health. July 2006. https://www.med.navy.mil/Portals/62
such as dogs and cats tend to scan their environment by smell /Documents/NMFA/NMCPHC/root/Field%20Activities/Pages
4
and are constantly sniffing the ground. It is significant to note /NEPMU6/Operational%20Support/Entomology/HARMFUL
that domestic animals tend to be more severely impacted by -ANIMALS-FIELD-GUIDE.pdf. Accessed 4 June 2021.
exposure than their human counterparts. For example, dogs 10. DuGar B, Sterbank J, Tcheurekdjian H, Hostoffer R. Beware of
the caterpillar: Anaphylaxis to the spotted tussock moth caterpil-
can experience a wide variety of symptoms ranging from lar, Lophocampa maculata. Allergy Rhinol. 2014;5(2):113–115.
swelling of the tongue and tongue necrosis to acute respiratory 11. Seldeslachts A, Peigneur S, Tytgat J. Caterpillar venom: a health
distress. Horses seem to be even more susceptible to the neg- hazard of the 21st century. Biomedicines. 2020;8(6):143.
16
ative effects of caterpillar exposure. Indeed, the ingestion of 12. Sridhar MS, Ramakrishnan M. Ocular lesions caused by caterpil-
lar hairs. Eye. 2004;18(5):540–543.
processionary caterpillars has been associated with fetal loss in 13. Goldman BS, Bragg BN. Caterpillar and moth bites. [Updated
pregnant mares. This condition is known as equine amnionitis 2020 Aug 15]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island, FL:
and fetal loss. It is believed to result from ingested setae pene- StatPearls Publishing; 2021. Available from: https://www.ncbi
trating the gut lining and migrating to the placenta where they .nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539851.
17
induce inflammation and infection. Care should be taken to 14. Perkins LE, Zalucki MP, Perkins NR, et al. The urticating setae
ensure that military working animals are not exposed to the of Ochrogaster lunifer, an Australian processionary caterpillar of
veterinary importance. Med Vet Entomol. 2016;30(2):241–245.
setae of processionary caterpillars and that they do not ingest 15. Uemura M, Perkins LE, Zalucki MP, Battisti A. Movement be-
the caterpillars themselves. haviour of two social urticating caterpillars in opposite hemi-
spheres. Mov Ecol. 2020;8(4).
16. Kaszak I, Planellas M, Dworecka-Kaszak B. Pine processionary
Conclusion caterpillar, Thaumetopoea pityocampa Denis and Schiffermüller,
1775 contact as a health risk for dogs. Ann Parasitol. 2015;61(3):
It is common for military personnel to forgo personal hygiene 159–163.
during field training exercises. They may not have a change of 17. Perkins NR, Begg AP. Processionary caterpillar setae and equine
clothes for days at a time and they may only have “baby wipes” fetal loss: 2. Histopathology of the fetal-placental unit from ex-
and limited canteen water available for washing. Exposure to perimentally exposed mares. Vet Pathol. 2014;51(6):1131–1142.

24 | JSOM Volume 21, Edition 4 / Winter 2021