The incidence of poisoning from cantharidin preparations has declined in recent
years due to a reduction in the use of cantharidin-containing preparations, and its
ban in other countries. There is, however, still the potential risk of cantharidin
poisoning in some African countries where beetles are considered delicacies and
where ingestion of frogs or birds which have eaten the beetles may also cause
toxicity (Eisner et al., 1990). It is therefore very important for health care
providers in such communities to be able to recognise the typical signs and
symptoms of cantharidin poisoning and to treat it.