As per studies, if infected, the toxin “gets secreted on to the eye surface of the contacted person, and it makes the surface of the eye blister and fall off.”
The beetles squirt a toxic compound when crushed.
Several reports of a rare affliction dubbed as “Christmas Eye” has been reported in a remote part of southeastern Australia. It is also known as “Albury-Wodonga syndrome” and “Harvester’s Keratitis” because of its link to farming work.
Since Christmas 25 to 30 cases have been reported in Australia’s Albury-Wodonga region, about 300 kilometres (186 miles) northeast of Melbourne. Infected people have reported incidents of excruciating pain, often equal to giving childbirth.
As per scientific studies, the 1-mm long native beetle squirts a toxic compound when crushed — for example, by someone rubbing their eye.
The insect has a component called pederin, which is a blistering agent.Rob Holloway, an optometrist in the region, said Christmas Eye appeared in the Australian summer, “hence the name”, and was often easy to diagnose.
“The pain level is generally what diagnoses it straight away,” he told AFP.
The pain etched in their memory. The people are heard “comparing it to childbirth”.
“These people are in abject misery,” one medial practitioner said.
There has been a recent spike in cases, possibly linked to heavy downpours in winter and spring.
Luckily, the condition is easy to treat with conventional remedies such as antibiotics.
(Inputs from AFP)