Native Australian Bronze Orange Stink Bug (Musgraveia sulciventris)–Related Corneal Injury

Abstract

The bronze orange stink bug (Musgraveia sulciventris) is an insect native to Australia that is found in citrus trees and gardens in coastal Queensland and New South Wales. The common name “stink bug” is attributed to the foul spray emitted from these insects when they are threatened. This spray can result in corneal injuries; however, human case reports of stink bug bodily fluid exposure to the eye are rare and have not been previously reported for this species. This report describes a case of the native Australian insect bronze orange stink bug causing irritant contact keratitis in the eye, which is the only reported case in the literature. Patients who garden in Queensland and New South Wales should be advised to handle these insects with care, by wearing protective eyewear and gloves when handling citrus trees or when removing them from their gardens, to minimize their risk of corneal damage if sprayed.