Weird bite? Possible rabies exposure?

[subzzz]

I received this bite in Phuket. I don't know where or when. I just remember that I felt burning and for the next few days if anything hit it it hurt and felt sore. It was two little puncture wounds. This was Six weeks ago. I didn't do anything about it because I figured It was a bug of sorts and since nothing happened and it scabbed over I figured it was nothing... But now my mind is running. I remember something grazing my foot.. And sometimes I'd feel stings. Now I'm worried if it was a rat or something (many times we were walking in the dark) and maybe I should have gotten rabies shots. Anyways... Has anyone else had these sort of bites? It was on my Ankle.. Two small punctures right next to each other. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!!! I'll see if I can post a picture somehow.

[subzzz]

Here's a picture

[HooHaa]

if it were rabies after 6 weeks you would likely be dead.

rabies is essentially irreversible once it starts to manifest by the way.

immediate treatment is the only option.

looks like a small centipede or spider to me. dual punctures.

though a centipede, you would know it. i certainly did.

why not quit wasting time and seek medical assistance?

Edited February 26, 2014 by HooHaa

[subzzz]

Ya I don't know why I waited so long. It just didn't hit me till recently that maybe I should have gotten some medical advice. I just thought of it as a bug bite and wasn't worried about an infection because I was on antibiotics. But ya I'll go get it checked. Just worried I waited too long.

[subzzz]

Thanks for the replies!

[craigt3365]

Please reply back and let us know what it was!

[Briggsy]

Bat bite.

[subzzz]

Will do but I guess we won't know Cuz I never got the culprit on the act lol. I just hope it isn't too late to do something about it. Hopefully I'm just worrying too much.

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[subzzz]

But how would I get a bat bite on the ankle? I never slept outside and my ankles weren't exposed while sleeping and our room was pretty secure! I did contemplate that too but I just don't know how that could happen.

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[subzzz]

*caught the culprit in the act, I mean.

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[Tywais]

Moved from Travel to the Health forum.

[Rupert2]

Sounds like a spider bite. I got bit while sleeping near Phuket one night. Lasted a long time.

My bite was painful a bit for several days. Mine was on my temple area - on my head.

Definitely could still see the marks even six weeks later. No big deal - I guess.

[subzzz]

Did it look like the picture I posted? I thought maybe a spider as well... But usually spider bites well from what I've heard and seen swell up or people get some other reactions. Did you just have two wounds and some pain?

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[Sheryl]

Spider would be my guess as well.

[Rupert2]

I assume mine was a spider bite - what else could it have been. I was sleeping in a bunglalow where the spider could have got me easy - from the thatched roof.

When I went to get something for the bite in Puket - the chemist ? seemed to agree

2 punctures - painfull for several days. Lasted for along time - visually.

How weird - as I remember. I still like spiders - at least the small ones.

If it were a centipede - I agree - you would remember the incounter.

spider bite is my vote.

[Rupert2]

Also I didn't wake up - I woke up with the bite - had to wait hours for the chemist / pharmacy to open.

[Showbags]

I had something similar but different last week....woke up with a sore and swollen toe.....no injury to it, no bite marks I could see.

The next night it was throbbing and kep me awake most of the night....next day very sore to walk...next night and morning a little better but then came back for another day and night and then went away.

The toe was red with like 3 small redish lumps appearing somewhat like when you get blood poisoning...also around the joints in the toe they were large and hard, like bone was forming around them and very sore to move.

Anyway, went away on its own....must be my good inner ability to fight little things like this by building up self immunity

[tw25rw]

I've been bitten by a rat. It was nothing like that.. Looks more like a spider or some other invertebrate. Or maybe a small snake.

[Cylon]

Yes as some of the others said, Spider. I was bitten on the arm by a small spider at my deck. It only felt like a small pin prick at the time, but over the next few days turned red and whole area became infected.I rubbed it with Balm. Was going to go to the doctor it went away, but was very itchy.

[umbanda]

A while ago I got a bite on a finger cleaning my garden and was looking like yours. The following day my finger and part of my had was blow like a balloon, green, cold, and very itchy. A snake???...I rush to a clinic close to my home and I got medication. In just 2 days was gone. Doctor said that probably was a bee or a spider....

[subzzz]

Thank you all for the replies! Really appreciate it. I feel a lot better because yesterday I was in a full on panic mode that I had made a huge mistake not going to doctor immediately. I'm Still going to go for peace of mind and see if the recommend anything. I didn't think it was a spider because nothing else happened and usually spider/snake bites turn colors and get infected. But nothing happened to mine. I was on Cipro (antibiotic) and that's a pretty powerful antibiotic which I believe is used for bites as well. That's probably why mine didn't turn into anything worse. But thank you guys! This whole forum is awesome people reply so quickly!

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[subzzz]

Keep your similar bite stories coming! They are calming me down, haha. Not that I enjoy hearing other people's bites by critters, but knowing that there are bites like mine that weren't caused by furry critters - helps.

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[Sheryl]

I have several times had nasty spider bites here, usually occurring during the night. One turned into a bad cellulitis, the others just some local irritation.

If yours wasn't a spider it was probably some other type of insect. Anyhow very unlikely to have been a mammal and only mammals carry rabies.

And in the unlikely event it was a small snake, given that 6 days have passed and you are OK, it wasn't venomous. (There are some snakes in Thailand that are non-venomous but have pretty deep bites. )

[subzzz]

Okay thank you. Maybe a bug just bit me twice in a row also.

[FBN]

If rabies is such a major concern, just get vaccinated anyway as future possible exposures do exist here.

[Showbags]

Whats involved to get vaccinated for rabies ?....before a bite,not after.

[subzzz]

You can get it before a bite as a safeguard especially if you work with animals... This is Called pre exposure pep. which involves 3 shots spread out over a few weeks. It doesn't provide you immunity, just buys you time in the event you are actually bit by an animal. If after this pre exposure regimen you are bitten by an animal, then you need 2 follow up shots.

If you are not previously vaccinated and get bit by an animal you should try to secure treatment ASAP and dependant upon the animal that bit and the type of exposure and risk... You recieve an immunoglobulin shot and a series of four or five (not exactly sure) shots spread out over a couple of weeks.

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Edited February 27, 2014 by subzzz

[kimbathewhitelion]

This country & bug bites...hilarious well until someone dies. Known people/friends where a single bite transformed their ankle into a football. Come a cross centipede 1 meter long hanging from trees, millipedes in the dozens, wasps, giant flying brightly colored ants, spiders which will make you run. Thailand. The medical is cheap here but excellent, so why people avoid it. The clinics are even cheaper.

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[EBlair48]

Rabies is a complicated virus. It can have varying symptoms and lay dormant for up to a year before the final stage sets in . General consensus is if you don't receive a prophylactic specially made for after bites within three days from the bite, you have about a 90 % chance of fatality.

[sanuk21]

Rabies is a complicated virus. It can have varying symptoms and lay dormant for up to a year before the final stage sets in . General consensus is if you don't receive a prophylactic specially made for after bites within three days from the bite, you have about a 90 % chance of fatality.

Please exclude me from your general consensus!

As vaccines used for pre-exposure and post-exposure vaccination of rabies are the same,

"a prophylactic specially made for after bites " by exclusion would only be HRIG or ERIG.

I have been potentially exposed to rabies on many occasions and never been injected with HRIG or ERIG.

I have also confidently waited before getting treatment for over a week to see if the dog died or not.

Many people (animal handlers, veterinarians etc ) often reject post exposure vaccination (prophylaxis) because serology testing for rabies antibodies show they have adequate protection from previous vaccination(s).

sanuk