Natalie Carroll, 24, jetted off to Bali and ended up seeking help from medical professionals after she woke up covered in painful blisters – experts believe she was attacked by a beetle
A shocked tourist issued a warning to holidaymakers after she woke up covered in blisters from a venomous beetle.
Natalie Carroll, 24, was left baffled after she spotted the mysterious marks all over her leg on November 7. The Bali tourist shared her ordeal on TikTok after she initially thought she had been stung by a jellyfish the day before.
She alerted a doctor after she spotted inflamed streaks going down her legs that began to be “extremely painful”. She added: “When I woke up, I had some little blisters and I was like, ‘I need to call a doctor.'”
The TikToker was handed antibiotics to stop the wound from getting infected. “I think what’s happened is in my sleep I have brushed it off and now I have this,” she said. “I kept having to put this ointment on it to keep it concealed from the Balinese air because it’s dirty here.”
“Honestly the worst part about this is just not being able to swim for my entire trip and Bali is so hot … and I can’t even shower properly. I can’t get it wet at all. 24 hours of that red mark and then this is what I then had on my leg … these, I can’t even describe the pain.”
Natalie explained that her doctor believes she came into contact with a Rowe beetle, also known as a Tomcat. Although the insect doesn’t bite, it can release an aggressive toxin which can leave patients with serious burning, itching and blistering, reports News AU.
She told Yahoo News: “I would say if you’re staying in an indoor-outdoor villa or anywhere that’s not enclosed accommodation, invest in insect repellent. Set insect coils and have them at each doorway. And if you do notice any little marks, go to a doctor as soon as possible, it gets much worse really quick.”
Dr Swaid Abdullah, an expert in veterinary parasitology, previously explained: “These beetles carry a toxic venom called Paederin, which causes paederus dermatitis. The toxin is spread by the beetles if they crawl on you or on your clothes, bedding or towels and can cause mild to severe skin irritation when the toxin comes in contact with the skin.
“Initial symptoms include reddening of the skin, and a ‘burning’ sensation. This is followed by painful irritation and itching, and if untreated can lead to extensive pustules and blistering of the skin after four days. The affected areas remain irritated, blistered and sore for 10 days if left unattended.”
