Flesh eating bug related to sandfly!

MaggieAndBernie



Joined: 26/07/2008
Posts: 2012

Message Posted:
30/10/2008 18:18

Just read this - hope our N Cyprus sand flies don't give us anything like this...poor Ben Fogle....hope he recovers!



http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20081030/thl-flesh-eating-bug-hits-tv-star-cc323ef.html

Skogsy


Joined: 15/05/2008
Posts: 339

Message Posted:
30/10/2008 18:30

There are bugs that enter your thingy if you are a bloke and do some painfull damage as well.

Oh! Those were the days in the rivers of some less desireable places.



I hope the poor bloke gets over it too.



Skogsy

phylray



Joined: 21/09/2007
Posts: 1727

Message Posted:
30/10/2008 19:17

Yes, I saw this too, but can't recall any cases in Cyprus.

Think it depends what they've been in contact with.

The-Wicks


Joined: 27/05/2007
Posts: 2279

Message Posted:
30/10/2008 19:38

I seem to remember, a while ago, that a lady posted on here about her husband being bit by a sandfly and he had to undergo a lot of medical treatment back in the UK. I believe he was bitten on the leg and he was in a very bad way for a long while. Maybe different people react in different ways to bites, stings, etc. Anyway, hope Ben Fogle makes a speedy recovery.

J

Turbo


Joined: 24/12/2006
Posts: 833

Message Posted:
31/10/2008 03:23

Skogsy, the bug you are reffering to is a parasite, found in exotic waters, it enters the body through th uretha and puts out little hooks and attaches itself to the inside of the urethra .

Its called Candiru: found in the amazon and it affects men and women.

http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/2-29-2004-51087.asp

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
31/10/2008 06:52

There are various fly species characterised as "Sandflies"... the ones you get here are midges closely linked in their biology to the lovely little buggers that eat you alive in Scotland's West coast near water... try it, you'll think you've rolled in stinging nettles.... Here they are smaller and lighter in colour making it very difficult to see or feel them until they've done their worst...



They are annoying and if you are sensitive to their bites they can be intensely irritating to the skin... that does not mean that the are the species that causes MRSA... as per this example...

BillyB


Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 436

Message Posted:
31/10/2008 13:22

Flesh eating bugs, sounds horrific. Anyone know where I can get some for my partners backside.

wynyardman



Joined: 15/12/2007
Posts: 4580

Message Posted:
31/10/2008 13:45

Very funny BillyB but wouldnt you get charged with arson?



wyn

zanky


Joined: 17/10/2008
Posts: 354

Message Posted:
31/10/2008 14:03

This problem is prevalent in hotter climates than this where some female sandflies are infected with leishmaniasis. Here in Cyprus we did not used to be in the areas that have this infection but the area is expanding west every year and we are beginning to see a few sandflies that carry this infection. What seems to be a normal sandfly bite can turn into a very nasty type of tropical ulcer in just a few hours. It responds very well to the correct drug treatment and doctors here recognise it straight away but it is a nasty sore.

Skogsy


Joined: 15/05/2008
Posts: 339

Message Posted:
31/10/2008 16:55

Turbo. Thanks.

Yeh! My mate had the problem a while back. It wasnt the one that went up there that bothered him the most. He killed that. It was the 25 family members that swam up for the funeral that caused the biggest problem!



Skogsy

JimmyG


Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 900

Message Posted:
31/10/2008 18:05

Brilliant Skogsy!!

chezza


Joined: 12/05/2008
Posts: 12

Message Posted:
31/10/2008 19:36

Hi guys, don't be too deluded. Look up on the internet, the Old World cutaneous Leishmaniasis (around the Med, crossing over to Syria) is starting to be prevalent in Northern Cyprus in the rural areas because the female sandfly bites the rodents (too many of them)in the area and then bite the humans leaving what if not treated is basically the cutaneous leishmaniasis. Sorry, I have just returned from Cyprus, got bitten in Tatlisu en masse, 2 lots of strong antibiotics since, small papules turning into very little ulcers. Have treated myself with hydrogen peroxide constantly, killed the things off leaving purply scars. These things can continue for six months after, have to look out forany more that might arrive on the old bod.

Best thing in N.Cyprus is to kill off all the rats if poss. and have the poor old wild canines put down (for their own sake and human sakes).

mitsi


Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 345

Message Posted:
31/10/2008 21:00

No7, MRSA is not caused by insect bites. It is caused by anti-biotics and over use of them. People take antbiotics for everything, colds, flu, insect bites, chest infection etc; Then when they really need them for something serious, they find they are useless. Don't take anti biotics unless really needed. Some DR's and Nurses are trying to educate people about this now but it's a hard slog. Unless you have a lowered immune system ie; you are diabetic or asthmatic, have HIV etc; Don't take antibiotics for the sake of it.

phylray



Joined: 21/09/2007
Posts: 1727

Message Posted:
31/10/2008 21:09

Thanks for that info. mitsi. I have always believed in not taking antibiotics

unless absolutely necessary. I have not had flu. in about 40 years, and I

believe it is because I didn't take them, so thereby built up natural resistance

cyprusishome


Joined: 31/03/2007
Posts: 2381

Message Posted:
31/10/2008 21:11

Sand flies we met in Western Australia were huge things, certainly not related to those here or in Peru. Have not looked up the latin names but I am sure that it will be found that "sand fly" is a generic for the local they are found in.



Bit of a pain for Ben Fogle because when we visited Peru we needed all the usual Typhoid, Hep A, Tetanus but then had Diptheria, Yellow Fever and Malaria!! Problem is there is always another little B that gets through.



All you can do is take all available precautions. Most of the group we were with suffered with the "runs" for a good part of trip and at the end one person renamed the tour - Highlights of Peru or How To Overdose on Imodium"!!! Corks did come in very useful!!!!



Last thing, if you feel unwell after any trip to a suspect area go straight to docs. Better safe that sorry.