PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Doctors throughout southern New England are warning residents of a potential allergic reaction caused by coming into contact with caterpillars.
Dr. Russell Settipane of East Providence’s Allergy and Asthma Center tells WJAR-TV that the little hairs on caterpillars can to stick into the skin of humans and cause a “histamine-type reaction.”
Settipane says a rash will either materialize right away or within a couple of hours.
The itchiness can persist for days or even weeks. It can cause those affected to wake up in their sleep, and red bumps may appear. Settipane says rashes can be treated with ice or topical agents.
The New England Journal of Medicine declared this caterpillar outbreak to be the worst infestation in the area since 1981.
