Ross Constable, from Manchester, returned from Thailand and suffered from skin sheeding, distorted memory and developed Tourette’s after he was bitten by an insect
A dad who was left bedbound for two weeks after he was bitten by a mosquito in Thailand, suffered nightmare complications including Tourette’s syndrome.
Ross Constable, from Greater Manchester, arrived home from a 10-day vacation in Phuket with his family, when he began experiencing “flu-like symptoms”. Once he returned from the trip in 2019, he alerted 111, who suggested that he should contact a doctor.
Medics were baffled by his worsening condition and guessed whether it could be a bug from the plane. They also questioned whether he had Alice in Wonderland syndrome and Japanese encephalitis, which is a viral infection. Over time, Ross suffered from his skin “shedding”, distorted memory, bleeding gums and painful joints.
Speaking about his symptoms, Ross said: “Mine didn’t go away, it just escalated. The skin all came off, you lose a lot of skin on your body, it’s one of the symptoms – it was shredding, came and went. I think I was bit on my foot. I was bedbound for two weeks. They developed over time – I was really thirsty, sleeping a lot and in and out of consciousness. Doctors didn’t know what it was, kept thinking it was flu.”
Ross explained that his body felt like “a liquid jelly mass” with severe internal pain, particularly behind his eyes. During this time, he also lost two stone while struggling from mental confusion – often not recognising his partner and feeling entirely detached from reality. “It just went on and on,” he said. “I struggled to go back to work. I felt like I was losing my mind a bit, why do I feel like this, why am I not getting better? That’s why I was having Alice in Wonderland syndrome. I felt like I could feel knees to feet, I was taller than buildings around me and arms would stretch across the car park.”
Ross continued to visit doctors multiple times but says the pain of even getting to the appointment was unbearable. The dad-of-one was initially tested for Wilson’s disease, a rare inherited condition that causes copper levels to build up in several organs, but that came back negative. His doctors took a lot of blood samples, but it wasn’t until weeks later that the diagnosis was confirmed – he had dengue fever, a viral disease spread by mosquitoes which can be deadly.
Another specialist also believed he had Japanese encephalitis, a viral infection transmitted through mosquito bites, primarily in Asia and the Western Pacific, that can cause inflammation of the brain. However, they were still unsure about Ross’s neurological complications that followed including Alice in Wonderland syndrome, a condition that distorts the perception of reality.
The bizarre symptoms, which included involuntary muscle spasms, left him feeling out of control and vulnerable. At times he said he struggled to speak and would even physically hit himself out of frustration. It was around this time that he also developed Tourette’s syndrome, the tics becoming so extreme that they would be triggered by sounds, movements and even stressful situations, having a huge impact on his social life, reports Manchester Evening News.
And it wasn’t just the physical symptoms that took their toll on Ross. He also battled severe mental health issues including anxiety, depression and the repeated looping thoughts commonly associated with PTSD. While Dengue fever itself does not directly cause Tourette’s syndrome, it can trigger neurological complications in some cases.
The viral illness is transmitted by mosquitoes, and while its primary symptoms include high fever, severe headaches, joint pain and skin rashes, it can occasionally cause neurological symptoms. In rare cases, neurological conditions such as encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or other complications like Japanese encephalitis could develop alongside dengue fever.
These conditions can affect the brain and nervous system, potentially leading to movement disorders or tics. While the physical symptoms of dengue fever and Japanese encephalitis have subsided, Ross said he still faces ongoing challenges with Tourette’s syndrome, saying it’s likely the condition will be with him for life. Despite this, he has learned to accept his condition and is gradually recovering with the support of his family, friends and his art. He says nature has also played a vital role in his recovery, offering him a sense of solace and peace when life felt overwhelming.
He now hopes his upcoming art show at Hepplestone Art Gallery in Wilmslow on May 8 will not only raise awareness of his journey, but also help others understand the power of support, nature and self-acceptance in the healing process. “I feel really lucky,” he added. “It’s made me look at life differently. I feel like I’m the lucky one if you have both these conditions. I’ve been told I’m lucky, you can still use your limbs, you can still talk, and you’re still here. I feel really lucky to be alive. I just feel really amazed that I have this still, that I have a life to live.
