Fear of… ants

On November 12, a young man from Hai Duong had to go to the Central Dermatology Hospital for examination after 2 days of being attacked by three-banded ants, causing redness and burning in his neck. Although not life-threatening, the inconvenience caused by three-banded ants requires precautions, especially when this type of insect is in its migration season.

The three-cavity ant contains a toxin called Pederin, which is 12-15 times more toxic than cobra venom, causing skin to burn with just a small amount. They breed and thrive during the rainy season from June to October in the North. This type of insect often lives in fields, along the edges of fields, lawns, near ditches... By the end of October and the beginning of November, when the rice is harvested, there is no longer a place to live, this type of ant disperses and flies into residential areas.

Due to their strong phototropism, ants are often attracted to lights at night.

At the same time last year, residents of several apartment buildings in Hai Duong City were confused and uneasy because of the large number of ants in their homes. This explains why around this time every year, some people are attacked by ants. The disease is caused not by stings but by secretions that stick to the skin and cause contact dermatitis.

According to medical specialists, people attacked by ants will feel itchy, burning, and tight skin. After 6-12 hours, the bite area may swell, become red, and have irregular blisters. After 1-3 days, blisters and pus will form, and the burning pain will increase. The patient may have widespread damage to the surrounding area, fever, general discomfort, skin infection, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

If treated promptly, it will be gone in a week. If treated late, the skin damage can leave red scars that take months to heal. The toxin of the ant that gets into the eyes can cause conjunctivitis and swelling of the soft tissue around the eyes, in some cases temporary blindness.

Many people who are attacked by ants treat themselves by buying topical and oral medications. When they do not get better, they seek medical advice and treatment, or even go to a specialized hospital for treatment. Because of the lack of timely treatment, some people's condition worsens and persists for many days.

The symptoms of contact dermatitis caused by ants and shingles are quite similar, but the pathology is completely different. If misdiagnosed or the wrong medicine is used, it will affect the treatment process, the disease may become more severe and the recovery time will be longer.

According to the leader of Hai Duong Eye and Dermatology Hospital, compared to the same period last year, the number of patients with skin lesions caused by ants is less, but we cannot be subjective. Patients come for examination and treatment when the symptoms of the disease are severe with many ulcers on the skin of the neck, arms, legs, etc. The leader of the hospital also recommends that when attacked by ants, it is best to go to a specialized clinic immediately for diagnosis and assessment of the disease condition for timely intervention and treatment.

Although not very dangerous, if there are no appropriate preventive measures, the three-compartment ant is still a concern during this period, especially for the elderly and children. People can prevent three-compartment ant by regularly cleaning the house, turning off unnecessary lights in the evening, and putting down curtains when going to bed.

In addition, when there are many ants in the environment, it is necessary to spray insecticide, replace fluorescent lights with yellow lights because this type of ants is attracted to fluorescent light...