Help centepede got a neighbor

[Cindy V]

Help I need advice. My neighbor stepped on a centepede last Tues. and was stung/bitten. He has been aches and no appetite, and chills, very weak. Is this a symptom of the centepede or has he caught a bug?

Thanks in advance!

[toucano]

Tuesday as in yesterday? Or as in Tuesday a week ago? I only had one encounter with a rather large one that stung my back shoulder. My shoulder throbbed like a dull toothache for a day and I needed a Tylenol to sleep that night. It was fine the next day.

I felt nothing like you describe. My guess is that everyone can react differently. Like with bee stings. Others might have experienced what your neighbor is feeling and will post here. Just a guess, but it sounds like a bug of some kind that just coincides with the centipede. If it lasts much longer, I'd suggest he see a doctor.

[Francesca]

My husband grew up here and although never bitten, his friends and relatives have been with varying results. He said that depending on where you are bitten, the size of the centipede and if you are allergic, you can have very little reaction, or you can become very sick and even need to be hospitalized for a week or two. My husband thinks that your neighbor's symptoms are from the bite and said that he should seek medical attention immediately.

[Cindy V]

My neighbor did go to the Dr. today and it is a good thing, it turned out he had Leptospirosis which he most likely contracted by working in thick weeds and brush that had rat urine. This apparently is very common in our area. All of you out there be careful, wear gloves and don't ignore flu like symptoms that go up and down and won't get better!

Aloha
Cindy

[JerryCarr]

Cindy, what area do you live in? Is leptospirosis present in all areas of the island.

Thanks,
Jerry

[toucano]

Good thing he got it taken care of. A bit 'rare', but it sounds like nasty stuff. There is a lot on it on the internet. Rats are not the only vectors:

-------------------------

The Cause; Swimming in Streams and Natural Pools:

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease caused by Leptospira interrogans. Although leptospirosis is an infrequent disease in on the mainland, it is much more of a problem in Hawaii, where the reservoir is most likely the wild pigs and goats in the upcountry which contaminate the streams.

The best preventative is not to swim in streams and pools, or to luxuriate under waterfalls --but the experience of doing exactly these things are why a lot of us go to Hawaii in the first place.

It can be contracted by swallowing contaminated stream water. The bacteria can also enter through the intact mucous membrane of the mouth, even if you do not have a cut there. Or it can enter through an open cut on the skin. So, the best thing would be to keep out of streams altogether if you have a cut, or to keep your mouth shut so as not to ingest water while swimming in these places.

Signs and Symptoms of Infection:


Mild to Moderate infection which acounts for 90% of cases of leptospirosis is characterized by;

* abrupt onset of remitting fever
* headache
* abdominal pain
* nausea and vomiting
* severe muscle pain

Symptoms may last 4-7 days. Of the patients with Mild to Moderate disease, up to 90% will have symptoms similar to meningitis; headache, neck stiffness and discomfort at looking at light.

There is a more severe form of leptospirosis that is seen in 10% of people infected with the bacteria.

* Liver abnormalities most notably jaundice (yellow pigment deposition in the skin)
* kidney failure
* bleeding abnormalities
* severe mental status changes


If you develop any of theses signs, seek medical attention immediately! The cure requires intravenous antibiotics.

Diagnosis


Diagnosis is via a special rapid reagent blood test, which will detect the organism in the blood 2-5 days into the acute illness. Blood cultures may be negative because special media is required and may not reveal growth for 5-6 weeks.

So your doctor must have a high level of suspicion for leptosirosis. If your symptoms don't manifest until your back to the Mainland your physician may not think about leptospirosis - be sure to mention it by name.

Prevention is easy (it can also save your vacation plans!):


Doxycycline is an effective prophylaxis (preventation) against infection: the dosage is 200mg once a week, beginning right before your vacation. This prevents infection. You'll need to ask your doctor for a prescription, and fill it before your leave for your vacation.

Treatment of Leptospirosis:


The treatment dose for those already experiencing symptoms of leptospirosis is Doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for mild to moderate cases.

For severe cases, Penicillin G 1.5 million units IV every 6 hours is the recommended treatment

[Cindy V]

He is here in HPP and the Dr told him it is very common in the Puna area. So be careful when working in areas where you know there may have been mice/rat.. activity, he thinks it was from an area of an old shed he was cleaning out.

[Beachboy]

back in the mid 70's growing up in beautiful Lahaina, we all had our fair share of both centepedes & scorpions too.

One night I awoke to a terrible pain in my lower back. A burning sensation to this day seems like yesterday. In my half sleep state, I hastily jumped out of bed. I then started to brush my bed sheets off in the dark. Thus knocking the Centepede to the floor, where it proceeded to sting me again. This time my foot got nailed!!!
So I'd say yes, those are very common smyptoms of a Centepede sting. Usually the discomfort of these stings last about a week to ten days.

If you live in an area that has a lot of Centepedes, and Scorpions, it's probaby good to have at leat one feline around the house. I can't even begin to count the times our cats warned(constant meowing) us when these little pest were present. Unfortunately known of my dogs ever caught on to this skill.

[Kapohocat]

Lepto is a fact here. That said in almost 20 years, only 3 people I have known have gotten it. Two think they got it from swimming in a slow moving river during one of our "prolonged droughts". One was my Dad who I have absolutely no idea how he got it because we weren't doing any of the obvious things (swimming in streams, cleaning out unused sheds, etc).

[Les C]

Patricia Macomber's booklet, "Rainwater Catchment Systems for Hawai'i", notes that, in some areas of the State, more than half the rats and mongoose have leptospirosis. For more details on occurrence in specific areas, you may have to look for a Dept. of Health analysis.

Rats can find ways to get on your roof (trees, tall shrubs, utility lines) and urinate. They can also make their way onto your catchment tank, which is why you should cover it, preferably with a solid cover, or a fabric cover supported by a frame that keeps the cover from dipping into the tank. Because of the possibility of having rat urine on your roof, you should treat your catchment water for leptospirosis. Chlorine is one treatment, UV light treatment is another.