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25 September 2017 Stings of the Ant Wasmannia auropunctata (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as Cause of Punctate Corneal Lesions in Humans and Other Animals
Diego Rosselli, James K. Wetterer
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Abstract

Numerous researchers have observed a form of punctate corneal lesions causing leukomas (corneal opacities) in humans, domestic animals, and wild animals in different parts of the world.This condition has been reported under different names, including West Indian (or Caribbean) punctate keratopathy, West Indian dots, tropical punctate keratopathy, Rice's keratopathy, Florida keratopathy, and Florida spots. Many of these cases, appear to have a common cause, the stings of a small red ant, Wasmannia auropunctata (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), originally from the Neotropics, but spread to other parts of the world through human commerce. The purpose of this article is to link disparate literature on punctate or nummular corneal lesions published in medical, veterinary, wildlife, and entomology journals, because many researchers seem largely unaware of the literature from disciplines other than their own. Recognizing a common cause of this corneal condition is important to insure proper medical treatment and foster efforts to limit the spread and negative impact of W. auropunctata.

© The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com
Diego Rosselli and James K. Wetterer "Stings of the Ant Wasmannia auropunctata (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as Cause of Punctate Corneal Lesions in Humans and Other Animals," Journal of Medical Entomology 54(6), 1783-1785, (25 September 2017). https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjx167
Received: 29 May 2017; Accepted: 15 July 2017; Published: 25 September 2017
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KEYWORDS
ant
cat disease
corneal disease
corneal opacity
dog disease
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