The moth Hylesia metabus and French Guiana lepidopterism: centenary of a public health concern.

F. Jourdain (1) , R. Girod (1, 2) , J. M. Vassal (3) , Fabrice Chandre (1, 4) , C. Lagneau (1, 5) , F. Fouque (1, 6) , D. Guiral (7) , Jocelyn Raude (1, 8, 9) , Vincent Robert (1, 10)

1 Centre National d'Expertise sur les Vecteurs
2 Institut Pasteur de la Guyane
3 UPR Bioagresseurs - Bioagresseurs, analyse et maîtrise du risque
4 MIVEGEC - Maladies infectieuses et vecteurs : écologie, génétique, évolution et contrôle
5 EID Méditerranée
6 Institut Pasteur de la Guadeloupe
7 IMBE - Institut méditerranéen de biodiversité et d'écologie marine et continentale
8 EHESP - École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique [EHESP]
9 SHS - Département des sciences humaines et sociales
10 MIVEGEC-DEEVA - Diversity, ecology, evolution & Adaptation of arthropod vectors

The females of the moths Hylesia metabus have their abdomens covered by urticating hairs looking like micro-arrows and causing a puriginous dermatitis to humans known as "papillonite" in French Guiana and also called yellowtail moth dermatitis or Caripito itch. The densities of the moths show great seasonal and annual variations depending on mechanisms mostly unknown. When H. metabus infestations occur, numerous cases of dermatologic manifestations are reported from people living near the mangrove swamps where the moths are developing. One hundred years after the first "papillonite" epidemic reported from French Guiana in 1912, the data presented herein summarize the actual state of knowledge on H. metabus biology and ecology and on the lepidopterism. Some recommendations are proposed for the surveillance and warning systems of H. metabus infestations and to avoid contact with the moths. Research priorities are suggested to improve the control against this problem emerging between nuisance and public health.

Domaines: Microbiologie et Parasitologie; Santé publique et épidémiologie

F. Jourdain, R. Girod, J. M. Vassal, Fabrice Chandre, C. Lagneau, et al.. The moth Hylesia metabus and French Guiana lepidopterism: centenary of a public health concern.. Parasite, 2012, 19 (2), pp.117-28. ⟨10.1051/parasite/2012192117⟩. ⟨pasteur-00789568⟩