Diagnosis? Something in the woods

[Stigomery]

Ok, so this one got me last weekend in Swaffham. 3 doctors, 3 different views, 3 different remedies!

What are your views?

I was in the woods. I seem to be the only one affected. Caused the rash and lumps/hives/bites that you see. Intensely itchy. Became slightly infected. Treated with antihistamine, steroids, antibiotics.

I swear I felt something irritating on my neck, then drop down my back, then land on my waistband. Doc 1 says lots of bites. Doc 2 says similar. Doc 3 says no bites but a reaction to something (e.g. New washing powder - but that's not possible)

Someone mentioned Oak Mites in conversation while there as there were lots of little green aphids around, but someone said they were just aphids (this was an unrelated convo, I'd not gotten the rash at that point)

The image is after 4 days of treatment so much less severe than initial outbreak.

Thoughts?

 

[Countryman]

Fleas is my first thought. Did you lay down somewhere?


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[Leshy]

Jeeeeez...

No idea , but wish you a swift recovery.

 

[Stigomery]

I lay down a few places, but nowhere my kids/wife/others did not also lie. I was wearing a t-shirt the whole time also.

 

[Countryman]

Google pictures of Flea bites. Pretty similar but you look to have been feasted upon.


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[Nice65]

Some hairy caterpillars can cause this sort of reaction. I don't think you've been bitten, I think that looks more like an allergic reaction.

 

[Nice65]

Apparently a lot of Brown Tails about this year too.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/natur...ewhaven-Hayley-Stevens-brown-tail-moth-larvae

 

[Robson Valley]

Leaf hoppers (Cicadellidae) are often ridiculously small. As a group, the suck plant saps.
However, they "sample" just about every surface that they walk on, such as the lining of your nose.
Possible to disturb absolute clouds of them, such as from low/overhanging leafy tree branches.
Is this "rash" on your back only? And you are the sole victim?

Something 'bites' my GF/partner in the garden in the summers. Raised welts of 2-3mm and 5+cm in diameter.
Has gone on for years and, like you, continues to be a mystery.

 

[KenThis]

No medical expert but from personal experience that looks like allergic reaction rather than bites.
I hope whatever the cause it's gone soon and doesn't come back.

 

[Ogri the trog]

If that was a reaction to washing powder, I would have expected to see more redness in your underarms where the skin is thinner & more sensitive or over the shoulders where rucksack straps might be causing initial irritation. Hence I would agree with bites or reactions to stinging hairs of some insect - though it does look like it had a good wander around!

Hope it heals soon

Ogri the trog

 

[Stigomery]

So the worst of it was my neck, middle back and waistline but my front had circa 40 "hives" which came out a day or two later. The caterpillar idea sounds plausible as I'm almost certain something moved between the 3 hotspots as I felt discomfort and brushed it off...

 

[jmagee]

Our cat brought fleas home once. I was the only one bitten by them. They left the wife and kids alone completely.

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[bearbait]

Our cat brought fleas home once. I was the only one bitten by them. They left the wife and kids alone completely.

Obviously you were the one that smelt nicest! Or...maybe...tastiest?

 

[Nice65]

So the worst of it was my neck, middle back and waistline but my front had circa 40 "hives" which came out a day or two later. The caterpillar idea sounds plausible as I'm almost certain something moved between the 3 hotspots as I felt discomfort and brushed it off...

The hairs cause a huge release of histamine, so reactions elsewhere aren't uncommon. Not every spot has absorbed a hair.

Also, google shows several news stories of large colonies of Brown Tail being a problem in the South East this year.

 

[woodstock]

Chiggers by the looks of it.

 

[jmagee]

Obviously you were the one that smelt nicest! Or...maybe...tastiest?

Always seems to be the case.

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[Nice65]

Chiggers by the looks of it.

1000's on one person and no one else got a bite?

The OP says he felt something on his neck, then drop further, then end up in his waistband. This fits the 3 hotspots perfectly. The reaction is Urticaria, I've suffered it myself and had to seek medical help. There are several Urticaria caterpillars, but the Brown Tail is particularly prevelant in this guys neck of the woods.

Heres a Wiki on the moth with a pic that looks very similar.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown-tail

 

[woodstock]

1000's on one person and no one else got a bite?

The OP says he felt something on his neck, then drop further, then end up in his waistband. This fits the 3 hotspots perfectly. The reaction is Urticaria, I've suffered it myself and had to seek medical help. There are several Urticaria caterpillars, but the Brown Tail is particularly prevelant in this guys neck of the woods.

Heres a Wiki on the moth with a pic that looks very similar.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown-tail

Thanks for the info that looks very similar

 

[Stigomery]

OK, based on the above and what I felt/came out in I am fairly confident that I was the subject of a Brown Tail attack... (melodramatic?)

Thanks chaps...

Didn't make it better, but I feel better informed

 

[Mike313]

This probably won't help but I come up in hives when I get certain shellfish and only at certain times of the year which is a puzzle. Just wondered, did you eat anything that might have triggered an allergic reaction, perhaps something the others didn't eat? Long shot I know ......