A tourist’s dream trip ended in agony when a tropical insect scarred her and left her wracked with pain and with horrible red welts on her legs.
Natalie Carroll, 24, was on vacation in Bali, Indonesia, when she noticed some red streaks starting to appear on her upper left thigh on Thursday, November 7.
The Australian TikToker initially thought she must have been stung by a jellyfish until later that night when “extremely painful” blisters started appearing on her skin.
The next day, as the agony mounted, Carroll rushed to a doctor, who told her he was “90 percent” sure she had been attacked by a cat beetle.
Cat beetles do not bite or sting their victims, but instead release an aggressive toxin that causes burning, stinging, itching and severe blistering.
Despite measuring only between Measuring 7 and 10 mm in length, the beetle’s poisonous toxin is very potent.
Carroll was given oral antibiotics to prevent the wound from becoming infected, but the pain and scarring continued to worsen over the next few days.
She believes the beetle may have crawled up her leg while she was sleeping and has warned others to be very careful around strange insects in the future.
Natalie Carroll, 24, developed deep red welts and blisters on her upper left thigh caused by cat beetle venom while on holiday in Bali.
Carroll noticed that the swollen streaks running down his thigh were rapidly worsening within hours of realizing they were there.
“When I woke up (Friday) I had some little blisters and I thought, ‘I need to call a doctor,'” she said on social media.
The welt had become “extremely painful” when his doctor told Carroll that he had probably come into contact with a cat beetle.
By Saturday, the blisters hurt so much that her thighs were too tender to even touch.
Carroll said he became wary of infections when two of his largest blisters burst over the weekend.
“I had to put this ointment on it over and over again to keep it hidden from the Balinese air because it’s dirty here,” he said.
‘Honestly, the worst part about this is just not being able to swim the entire trip and Bali is so hot… and I can’t even shower properly. I can’t get it wet at all.
Mrs. Carroll he told 9News that she was simply grateful that a doctor was able to diagnose her injury so quickly and that she wasn’t “overly concerned” about potential scarring.
Cat beetles, also known as rove beetles, do not actually bite their victims, but instead release a very potent toxin when they are pushed away or crushed.
Cat beetles, also known as rove beetles, are usually black or brown with slender bodies and short front wings.
They usually thrive outdoors, but during heavy rains, beetles have been known to migrate to drier areas.
Its poison can cause a reaction similar to “chemical warfare,” according to the Australian Department of Health.
The beetle excretes a chemical called paederin when brushed or crushed, which can be easily absorbed into the skin of another creature.
The toxin quickly causes redness of the skin, painful burning sensations, and blisters that can be difficult to remove.brilliant.
It is recommended to use warm soap and water to immediately clean the affected area before fully applying an antiseptic lotion or antihistamine cream.
It can take up to 10 days to fully recover from cat beetle venom.