Arthropods

Gentiane Monsel1, Pascal Delaunay2, Olivier Chosidow1

Overview

Many arthropod species are capable of inflicting bites and stings on humans. They produce their effects on the skin by a variety of mechanisms, resulting in a wide spectrum of clinical lesions. Reaction to arthropod assaults can range from mild to life threatening. Diagnosis of arthropod bites is often self‐evident, but may be difficult when the source of the bites is not immediately obvious. An entomologist is often invaluable in these situations. Many diseases have arthropods vectors, for example malaria (mosquitoes), leishmaniasis (sandflies) and typhus (lice). The terrestrial arthropods of medical interest include the orders Insecta (insects), Arachnida (arachnida), Chilopoda (centipedes) and Diplopoda (millipedes).
Keywords arthropod, bite, envenomation, sting, tropical dermatology, infestations

Illustrations

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