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In the Gard, a 20-year-old student was bitten more than 200 times by mosquitoes. A major attack that temporarily prevented her from working.
Often mild, mosquito bites can sometimes cause stronger reactions. A young woman recently paid the price. She tells her story in the columns of Free lunch.
More than 200 bites
Last Monday, the 20-year-old student walks among melon fields in Fourques, in the Arles conurbation. She studies the different species of this fruit as part of her studies. But this simple walk quickly turns into a nightmare: the young woman is devoured by swarms of mosquitoes.
“I had never seen that. They got everywhere, in my mouth, under my sunglasses… It was all the more surprising that some of my colleagues didn’t seem to get bitten”she says on a daily basis, while she wore a special tropical zone outfit, i.e. long clothes and mosquito repellent.
The reaction caused by the bites is immediate.
“Back home, I found my legs were bloated and covered in pimples. I counted over 200! The problem is that the pain was not decreasing. I had a burning sensation. Can’t sleep or just touch my legs“, details the young woman.
A violent reaction causing “pain”
The diagnosis is quickly made by her doctor: the student suffers from a violent reaction caused by the large number of bites.
To calm the pain, the specialist prescribed a treatment based on anti-inflammatories, cortisone and antihistamines. Quickly, after four days, the young woman no longer suffers. However, she must be extra careful when dealing with insects:
“The doctor issued me a work stoppage and clearly advised me not to expose myself again to mosquitoes. He had never seen such a reaction“, she confides.
The student must now migrate, far from the mosquitoes.
Multiple bites: what are the risks?
Allergic reactions (edema at the bite, severe itching, etc.) or secondary infection of the lesions (especially in children who have difficulty containing their urge to scratch) may occur. In this case, antibiotic treatment is often prescribed.
More rarely, anaphylactic shock can occur following mosquito bites. In case of breathing difficulties, swelling in the throat (angioedema), hives, nausea and redness on the body, you should immediately call 15 (Samu) or 112 (European Emergency number).
Slide: How to distinguish between different insect bites?