The left eye of 8-year-old Quan was red, swollen, and oozing fluid, causing fever. The doctor diagnosed cellulitis suspected to be caused by the poison of the three-cavity ant.
On August 15, Dr. Vo Thi Minh Tuyen, Department of Pediatrics, Tam Anh General Hospital, said that the child patient had cellulitis on the left side of the face, suspected to be caused by the three-compartment ant.
Upon examination, the doctor noted that the child had a high fever with widespread inflammation of the skin on the face, blisters, pus discharge, near the left eye, suspected of accompanying sepsis, and prescribed intravenous antibiotics. After 5 days of treatment, the child was discharged from the hospital and continued to take antibiotics as prescribed by the doctor.
Cellulitis is caused by bacteria entering the skin through wounds, lesions caused by viruses, insect bites or toxins secreted by insects. In this case, the child’s mother said that ants occasionally appeared in the house, but it was unclear whether the child had contact with the ants or not.
During the rainy season, high humidity is an ideal condition for ants to breed. They are often attracted by bright white lights, fly into the house and land on clothes, bedding, and blankets. Accidental contact with the poison in ants can cause dermatitis. People who are poisoned by ants often itch and scratch, causing the wound to spread, creating conditions for bacteria to enter and lead to cellulitis. When the toxin of ants gets into the eyes, it can lead to conjunctivitis, swelling of the soft tissue around the eyes, causing temporary loss of vision.
The three-cavity ant can cause cellulitis. Photo: Hospital provided
Signs of cellulitis are redness, pain, heat, and swelling of the skin. In severe cases, the patient may have a high fever or the inflammation may spread.
Cellulitis is treated with oral or intravenous antibiotics. Patients who do not receive prompt treatment may develop bacteremia, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, or septic shock syndrome.
The treatment for wounds caused by the poison of the three-cavity ant is to apply topical medication, wash with antiseptic solution, drink plenty of water, and avoid scratching as this will cause the wound to spread. If the wound is more serious, you should go to a medical facility to see a doctor.
The Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health recommends that to prevent ants, fluorescent lights should be replaced with yellow lights, avoid standing under bright light bulbs in the house, and turn off unnecessary light bulbs. The house should be installed with insect screens, the doors should be closed when entering and leaving, and the living environment should be cleaned by clearing bushes, regularly cleaning the house, and using mosquito nets to avoid insects.