Caterpillar hairs blown by a northeast monsoon are causing skin rashes in Penghu County, doctors said on Thursday.
Lee Chih-hung (李志宏) of Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital said that when doctors met to discuss an outbreak of rashes on Tuesday, 15 out of 21 patients had skin lesions, with the earliest case occurring on Friday last week.
The patients do not have the kind of small prickly rashes commonly associated with insect bites, or patches of rashes that develop from allergies, Lee said.
Photo courtesy of Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
After Penghu County Department of Health Director Hsiao Ching-jung (蕭靜蓉) said there had been an increase in Taiwan yellow tussock moth larvae, doctors determined that the conditions were caused by caterpillar hairs carried by the wind.
While caterpillar hair was not found on the patients, it could have already been blown away after causing a reaction, Lee said, adding that large quantities of caterpillar hair throughout Penghu County could cause rashes.
Chang Chung-hsing (張中興), a physician at Tri-Service General Hospital’s Penghu branch, concurred, adding that the rashes occurred mostly in areas not covered by clothing.
People with the rashes can run a small, gentle stream of water over the affected area to alleviate discomfort, or place a cold compress over it, he said.
Ointment could help the area heal faster, he said, adding that for patients with a rash over a large area of skin, doctors should consider prescribing antihistamines.
The department said it asked city and township branches to monitor the situation, and issued warnings to communities and schools that people should wear long-sleeve clothing to cover as much skin as possible.
Additional reporting by Wang Chin-yi and Chiu Chih-jou
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