Tomcat can not only cause complaints on the skin area affected by the poison, but also on the eyes and other body parts. Although the tomcat is small, its poison should not be underestimated because it can cause severe skin irritation and inflammation.
Tomcat is a kind of small beetle that looks like a fighter plane. Tomcat is actually very profitable for farmers because it acts as a predator for many pests. However, its presence in residential areas must be watched out for to reduce the risk of irritation to the skin.
Symptoms that arise when exposed to poison Tomcat
Unlike most insects, the irritation caused by the tomcat is not due to its bite, but to a poison called pederin in its body fluids. This poison will cause contact dermatitis on the skin if the tomcat is hit or accidentally squeezed so that its body fluids come out and come into contact with the skin.
Here are some of the symptoms that may arise after being exposed to tomcat poison:
- redness
- Burning and stinging sensation on the skin
- Itching and skin irritation
- Blistered skin
The above symptoms will usually last up to 10 days. In addition, tomcat poison has the potential to spread to other parts of the body and form skin irritations that look similar to the first irritation.
If the poison tomcat is on hand, the possibility of this poison spreading to other parts of the body is even greater. Tomcat poison can spread and cause dermatitis on the scalp, eyes, to the genitals. Eye irritation due to tomcat venom can cause severe conjunctivitis.
In severe cases, for example when the area of skin affected by the poison is large enough, pederin can cause symptoms such as neuralgia, arthralgia, and fever accompanied by vomiting.
How to Prevent Tomcat Poison Exposure
To prevent skin disorders due to exposure to tomcat poison, there are several preventive ways you can do, namely:
1. Repel tomcat without killing it
If you see a tomcat stuck to the skin, never squeeze or kill a tomcat. This is because you are just letting the exposure of the tomcat poison stick to the skin.
The right way to get rid of a tomcat that sticks to the skin is to blow the tomcat hard until it bounces off or by shaking it off using a soft cloth or tissue.
2. Clean the skin area in contact with the tomcat
After removing the tomcat from the skin, immediately clean the area of the skin that came into contact with the tomcat using soap and water. This method can minimize exposure to tomcat poison that can stick to the skin even if you don't kill it.
3. Use insect repellent at home
Because tomcat can spread to the home environment, it's a good idea to install insect repellent nets on windows and home ventilation. If necessary, always close all room doors to prevent the tomcat from entering the house.
4. Turn off the lights while sleeping
Since tomcats like light at night, it's a good idea to turn off the bedroom lights while you sleep. If you really want to use a lamp while sleeping, choose a light source that does not emit UV, such as an LED lamp.
The above prevention methods can greatly reduce the risk of exposure to tomcat poison. You don't need to worry if the tomcat beetle is endemic in the area around you. As long as the tomcat poison is not in direct contact with the skin, contact dermatitis or other disturbing symptoms are unlikely.
However, if the tomcat is accidentally squashed and its body releases liquid or poison that hits your skin, immediately take the first treatment before the symptoms expand. Some of the handling steps you can take include:
- Clean the skin area affected by tomcat poison with soap and clean water so that it does not spread to other areas of the body.
- Avoid touching other skin areas, after touching the skin area affected by tomcat poison, unless you have washed your hands with soap.
- Compress the skin with cold water to relieve the symptoms of contact dermatitis due to exposure to tomcat poison on the skin.
- Take painkillers that can be bought at pharmacies, such as paracetamol, if the part of the skin affected by the tomcat poison feels very painful.
If the wound does not heal, feels very painful, forms a wet wound because the blisters burst, or spreads to other areas, immediately consult a doctor for further treatment.