Isles of Scilly Resident Contracts Flesh-Eating Disease After Suspected Bite

An idyllic holiday in Egypt turned into a nightmare for an Isles of Scilly resident who developed a life-threatening flesh-eating disease following a mysterious bite. Nigel Hunt, a 59-year-old window installer from St Mary’s, underwent emergency surgery after falling violently ill during his vacation.

Bite at home leads to emergency abroad

On August 30, Hunt believes he was bitten on his stomach while in bed at home. “I felt a nip just below the belly button, and my first reaction was to jump out of bed to see what it was,” he recalled. Unable to identify the culprit, Hunt continued his day as usual, traveling to Penzance and then to Bristol Airport for his flight to Egypt.

Sudden illness and emergency surgery

Initially, the bite seemed harmless. “The bite wasn’t painful and I felt OK,” Hunt said. However, four days later, while waiting to board his flight, he became “violently sick.” He described spending six hours in the airplane’s restroom, struggling with severe nausea.

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Upon arriving in Egypt, Hunt sought medical help at a local pharmacy and later a clinic, where he received antihistamine cream and an injection. Despite temporarily feeling better, his condition worsened, leading to his hospitalization three days later.

Doctors diagnosed Hunt with necrotizing fasciitis, a severe infection often referred to as the “flesh-eating disease.” The NHS describes this condition as a “life-threatening infection that can happen if a wound gets infected.”

Medical intervention and ongoing treatment

Hunt underwent surgery to remove the infected tissue. While he is expected to be discharged from the hospital soon, he revealed that his stomach remains an “open wound,” necessitating ongoing treatment for up to two weeks.

Expert insights

Dr. Tim Cockerill, a senior lecturer in Natural History at Falmouth University, weighed in on the case. He emphasized that once an infection like necrotizing fasciitis sets in, “it would be impossible to identify the original cause of the wound.”

Dr. Cockerill noted that the condition is caused by a bacterial infection in a wound, not directly from a spider bite. “Over the past few years in the media, this kind of infection has come to be blamed on spiders, even when there’s no evidence of a spider being involved,” he explained. He added that such bites are “very rare” in the UK, despite common misconceptions perpetuated by media reports.

Nigel Hunt’s ordeal serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers lurking in seemingly innocuous bites. As he continues his recovery, his story underscores the importance of seeking immediate medical attention for any unusual symptoms following a bite or wound.