Centipede bite

A centipede bite is an injury resulting from the action of a centipede's forcipules, stinger-like appendages that pierce the skin and inject venom into the wound. Such a wound is not strictly speaking a bite, as the forcipules are a modified first pair of legs rather than true mouthparts. Clinically, the wound is viewed as a cutaneous condition characterized by paired hemorrhagic marks that form a chevron shape caused by the paired forcipules.[1]

Centipede bite
Underside of Scolopendra cingulata, showing the forcipules

The centipede's venom causes pain and swelling in the area of the bite, and may cause other reactions throughout the body. The majority of bites are not life-threatening to humans and present the greatest risk to children and those who develop allergic reactions.[2][3]

Symptoms

Symptoms which are most likely to develop include:[4]

Other symptoms such as hardening of the skin and tissue death may also occur.[5][6] In rare cases, Wells syndrome may also develop.[7]

Treatment

Centipedes bites, while painful, rarely cause severe health complications in people. At-home treatments can be effective at reducing pain and symptoms. [8] Centipede venoms are heat-labile, and warm-water immersion may help reduce pain and swelling.[9]

Famous cases

Naturalist Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre reported that his dog developed a serious ulcer after a centipede bite during travels in Mauritius.[10]

YouTube personality Coyote Peterson has been intentionally bitten by Scolopendra heros (giant desert centipede) and declares that the pain caused by the bite is worse than a bullet ant sting.[11][12]

See also

References
  1. James, William D.; Berger, Timothy G.; et al. (2006). Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: clinical Dermatology. Saunders Elsevier. ISBN 0-7216-2921-0.
  2. "Centipede Bite". Orkin. 2011. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
  3. Sean P. Bush; Bradley O. King; Robert L. Norris; Scott A. Stockwell (2001). "Centipede envenomation". Wilderness & Environmental Medicine. 12 (2): 93–99. doi:10.1580/1080-6032(2001)012[0093:CE]2.0.CO;2. PMID 11434497.
  4. "Do Centipedes Bite? | Get Rid of Centipedes | Orkin".
  5. "Centipede bites: Effects and treatment". Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  6. "Centipede Bites: Pictures, Symptoms, First Aid, and More". Healthline. 2018-10-23. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  7. "Scolopendra - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics". www.sciencedirect.com. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  8. "Centipede Bites: Pictures, Symptoms, First Aid, and More". 23 October 2018.
  9. "Centipede Stings".
  10. Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, Voyage à l'Isle de France, à l'Isle de Bourbon, au Cap de Bonne-Espérance, etc. avec des observations nouvelles sur la nature et sur les hommes (Paris: 1773), p. 128.
  11. Centipede Bite Worse Than ALL Stings?!, retrieved 2021-12-30
  12. "This Maniac Let a Giant Centipede Give Him One of the World's Most Painful Bug Bites".
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