30 operations, coma, and amputated toes: How a mosquito nearly killed a man

Sebastian Rotschke, a 27-year-old man from Germany, did not expect to go through this much ordeal when he was bitten by a mosquito.

Rotschke, had to undergo over 30 operations, had both of his toes amputated and was in a coma for almost a month after he was bitten by an Asian tiger mosquito, considered one of the most dangerous parasites.

Describing his nightmare, Sebastian said, “I haven’t been abroad. The bite must have happened here. Then the pure escalation began. I became bedridden, barely made it to the bathroom, had a fever, couldn’t eat. I thought it was coming to an end.”

Experts in the country have already flagged their concerns about an unprecedented growth of Asian tiger mosquito, particularly in the Rhein-Main region, as per a report by Daily Star.

Let’s take a closer look at the case.

Sabastian’s deteriorating health

All hell broke loose when Sabastian Rotschke was bitten by a single mosquito.

What is more bizarre is the fact that Sebastian was bitten by the Asian tiger mosquito in the summer of 2021.  

According to the local media, the 27-year-old suffered from blood poisoning, and liver, kidney, heart and lung failure before he was admitted into a coma in Germany’s Roedermark.

His misery didn’t end here. “Suddenly I saw that my grey sweatpants were completely soaked. All of a sudden, a huge abscess had formed on my left thigh,” said Rotschke.

An analysis of a tissue sample revealed that a bacteria called ‘Serratia marcescens’ had consumed half of his thigh. The 27-year-old lost all hope and thought that his chances of survival were very low.

However, he added that the doctors were quick to identify that everything was a result of an Asian tiger mosquito bike.

Following 30 operations and the partial amputation of both of his toes, Sebastian said he is on sick leave and feels “fine so far”.

An agonised Sabastian warned others, “Go to the doctor in good time – it’s better to have one too many than too few. Even a small sting can become fatal!”

What is the Asian tiger mosquito?

Going by the scientific name Aedes albopictus, the Asian tiger mosquito has a black body with white stripes, an attribute which gives its name. The white stripe runs down from the centre of its head to meet the white bands on the legs.

The mosquito is native to Asia and according to National Health Library, it has been one of the fastest-spreading mosquito species in the past two decades. Like other mosquitoes, the Asian tiger also lays its eggs in trees and old tires that are filled with water barring ditches or marshes. Once the eggs are laid, the mosquitoes don’t tend to fly more than about half a mile from their breeding site.

While male mosquitoes don’t bite and usually feed on plant juices, female mosquitoes feed on blood to help their eggs develop. Unlike other mosquitoes that feed at night, Asian tigers like to feed in the broad daylight.

These mosquitoes are drawn to black or dark clothing, perspiration, carbon dioxide and some other odours. After it bites and feeds on the blood of both animals and humans, the female mosquito will lay eggs just above the water’s surface.

Why are Asian tiger mosquitoes so dangerous?

The world is accustomed to as many as 3,500 mosquito species but none are as harmful as the Asian tiger mosquito, the Asian bush mosquito and the Korean bush mosquito.

The Asian tiger mosquito holds the capability to transmit more than 20 types of viruses like those that can cause dengue fever, chikungunya fever, yellow fever, West Nile fever, encephalitis and Zika virus.

The symptoms include flu-like infection, high fever, aching limbs and extreme weakness. Moreover, the bites of Tiger mosquitoes are no different than normal mosquitoes but the effects can be long-lasting and far worse, like Sebastian’s.

An aggressive biter, Tiger mosquitoes don’t spare animals too. According to the Department of Agriculture of Maryland, the pest is also known to be a cause behind dog heartworm disease – a lung and heart disease in canines. In USA’s New Orleans, for example, the mosquito breed is a principal vector of dog heartworm disease.

In Asia, on the other hand, the mosquito carries dengue and encephalitis.

Mosquito menace in Germany

According to a 2020 report by The Local, Germany has been witnessing a rise in the spread of tropical or mosquito-borne diseases in the past couple of years.

Lothar Wieler, the president of the Robert Koch Institute, said that the rise is a direct result of climate change. He told the German newspaper Funke Mediengruppe, “Many mosquito and tick species can transmit viral, bacterial and parasitic infectious agents.”

At the time, Wieler said diseases like Zika, dengue and West Nile virus could soon see a rising trend in Germany.

With inputs from agencies

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