Myriapodiasis

Myriapodiasis is a rare pathology associated with random (false) parasitism of millipedes in humans.

According to the catalog of diseases, ICD-9-CM corresponds to rubric 134.1 ^[1]

Millipedes of Geophilus electricus , Chaetechelyne vesuviana , Himantarium Gervaisi , Scutigera coleoptrata , Julus tcrestris , etc. were found in the human intestines. Various species of Geophilus nithobius were sometimes found in the nasal cavity and adjacent sinuses. The presence of these random parasites affects various painful disorders of the intestines or headaches, dizziness, neuralgia, etc.

Scolopendra can creep into the nostril of a sleeping person.

With a bite of drupes and fireflies, a picture similar to that of a bite of a scolopendra arises. Inflammatory reaction lasts 1-3 days. Deaths are unknown. If these centipedes enter the nose or mouth (with food or while sleeping in the open air), they can cause severe suffering. If they enter the sinuses , they cause acute inflammation, often accompanied by bleeding, severe pain and severe nervous disorders. Patients complain of an intolerable headache, dizziness, there are convulsions, delirium, etc. The exit of millipedes during bleeding or their removal by the ENT leads to a quick cure without further complications.

Millipede larvae can enter the digestive tract along with vegetables and fruits; at the same time, they not only remain in it, but also develop to an adult state, causing various painful manifestations. The constant symptoms of accidental parasitization of millipedes in the human intestines are acute pain, upset stool, and in some cases intestinal bleeding. Assessing this symptom, they often take a defeat for an intestinal ulcer, helminthiasis, or acute intestinal infection. After the parasites exit the human intestine, the above phenomena disappear.

Most cases of Myriapodiasis are associated with localization by parasites of the nasal or frontal sinuses (when centipedes creep into the nose), and intestinal invasion also occurs. A case of parasitization in the auditory canal of a child is described ^[2]

In the nose, millipedes lived for many months and, according to some reports, even for many years. Symptoms caused by their presence are an increase in the flow of mucus, itching, a more or less intense headache, and from time to time common symptoms, such as dizziness, light-headedness, convulsions. These symptoms suddenly disappear when the parasites have been removed.

Intestinal myriapodiasis resembles helminthiasis , manifested by vomiting, loss of appetite (observation of Verdun and Bruyant (1912) in a child of 20 months).

Millipedes enter the human body with fruit, or crawling into the nose.

Usually a person is affected by the centipedes of the genus Geophilus (family Geophilidae , class Chilopoda ). G. longicornis ( Squirrel firefly ) lives in the roots and tubers of potatoes, carrots, etc. They can crawl into the wormholes of apples and other fruits that have fallen to the ground; also live under bark and under stones. When eating fruits infected with fireflies, the latter can penetrate the nasal cavity and adjacent sinuses of the person where they live b. or m. for a long time, causing irritation and inflammation of the mucous membrane, severe headaches, dizziness, convulsions and other nerve symptoms. Fireflies can also get into the nasal cavity when smelling flowers, grass, or while sleeping on the ground. Most often, such a parasite is Geophilus carpophagus . Parasitization of Geophilus sinulis, G. electricus , G. cephalicus has also been noted. There are much fewer cases of emergence of living fireflies from the intestines. The front pair of legs of the firefly, turned into the maxilla, contains poisonous glands.

There is a known case when Geophilus electricus crawled into the nasal cavity of one woman and inflicted incredible suffering on her, almost madness, until the patient accidentally snuffed out this millipede.

A case is described in Turkey (in Erzurum) in a 14-year-old boy, Nopoiulus kochii centipedes were found in feces and vomit. The patient complained of abdominal pain and burning in the throat ^[3] .

Treatment: application of an alcohol compress to the affected area, in the future - the use of painkillers. To remove false parasites from the intestines, laxatives are used. From the sinuses, millipedes are removed by washing.