• Yaxin Li, Qiaoling Jin, Zhong Li, Menglin Chen, and Linshen Xie.
• West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
• Medicine (Baltimore). 2022 Dec 23; 101 (51): e32288e32288.

RationaleTraditional Chinese medicine is widely used in China and Asian countries. According to the traditional Chinese medicine theory, centipedes and scorpions have the functions of relaxing spasm, eliminating masses, relieving pain, and dredging meridians and collaterals. Improper medication can lead to serious adverse reactions.Patient ConcernsOne 38-years-old female presented to our hospital because of cough and fever for more than 10 days. Ineffective anti-infection treatment, delayed skin rashes and supplementary medical history guided us to take centipede and scorpion poisoning into consideration.DiagnosesDelayed hypersensitivity caused by centipedes and scorpions.InterventionsAnti-allergic therapy with glucocorticoid (methylprednisolone 40 mg/day) and H1 receptor antagonists (loratadine 10 mg/day).OutcomesDuring the 1 year follow-up revealed, no fever, rash and any discomfort occurred.LessonsThis case suggests that because oral Chinese medicine poisoning is rare, detailed collection of medical history is particularly important for poisoning diagnosis.Copyright © 2022 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.

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