69-Year-Old Briton Dies From Fatal Bee Sting in Phuket, Thailand

A 69-year-old Briton has died after suffering a fatal allergic reaction to a bee sting in Phuket, Thailand. The victim’s fatal allergic reaction arose from a single bee sting.

Stephen Leonard Prince, 69, was stung by the creature while riding his motorcycle home from work and was unable to be saved by emergency personnel in Phuket, Thailand.

When he arrived at his house in Phuket’s Soi Kitprasarn, his wife gave him an antihistamine shot, but the allergy continued to wreak havoc on his body.

After he fainted, she called 911, and medics arrived at the house shortly before noon. They discovered the Brit unconscious and without a pulse on his bed.

They performed CPR on the ex-pat before transporting him to Chalong Hospital, but they were unable to save him, and he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

Police A preliminary examination of Prince’s body by Captain Weeraphong Srinuanpan of the Chalong Police Station revealed that the cause of death was an allergic reaction to the sting.

The expat’s body was transported to the Vachira Phuket Hospital for a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death.

The bereaved wife stated that her husband had previously experienced adverse allergic reactions.

He had once fainted after eating honey, and he had also lost consciousness when he crushed a bee in his hands.

She went on to say that his previous allergy attacks had never been severe enough to endanger his life.

The paramedic who took Stephen to the hospital, Natchak Wattanaratjirot, said it was the first time in his four-year career that he had seen someone die from an allergy.

Bites and bee stings in Thailand

Thailand has a lot of bugs for bites and stings. For those of us who enjoy traveling, each day brings a new experience, some more memorable than others.

Following the sun around the planet is something that many of us dream about and that a few of us more fortunate (or determined) ones get to do. However, the warmth and humidity come with their own set of problems, one of which is waking up with lumps and bumps that are not all due to the local booze but to wild life.

Here is a simple guide to what can leave you with an unpleasant memory of your days travelling; on the plus side, you get the chance to post something that does not involve you holding another bottle of beer or lying on a beach.

Bee Stings

A bee sting is an injury caused by bee venom that causes toxic reactions at the sting site. It causes pain, redness, and swelling in the affected area. These symptoms usually go away within a day.

If a person is allergic to bee venom or receives multiple stings, a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) may occur, which is often fatal.

Ants in Red

Red weaver ants (Oecophylla smaragdina) are aggressive and territorial, and they see humans as simply encroaching on their territory. They rarely bite you because their incredible communication system can quickly gather an army to deal with your intrusion.

These unforgiving pests have a dedicated alkaloid venom-injecting sting as well as biting mandibles. Their sting is painful and causes an itchy red rash; however, too many can cause an allergic reaction, resulting in hives and difficulty breathing.

Mosquitos

The most common and annoying biting insects are without a doubt mosquitos, but did you know?

Only female mosquitos have the necessary mouth parts to sucking blood. They use the blood as a source of protein for their eggs rather than for themselves.

A mosquito can detect you at distances ranging from 20 to 35 meters.

Mosquitoes locate hosts through sight (they observe movement), infrared radiation emitted by warm bodies, and chemical signals. (mosquitoes are also attracted to carbon dioxide and lactic acid, among other chemicals).

Male mosquitoes live for about a year. Females typically live six to eight weeks. Females can hibernate for up to six months.

Ticks

Ticks are typically picked up while walking in rural areas. They are most commonly found behind the ears, on the stomach, and in the armpits. If you’ve been bitten by a tick, make sure to completely remove the tick’s head and mouth and clean the area. If a rash appears at the site of the bite or elsewhere, along with fever or muscle aches, see a doctor and get tested for Lyme disease. Doxycycline protects against tick-borne diseases.

Scorpions

Scorpions can be found throughout Thailand (and not just from street vendors), and their colours range from grey to brown and black. While their sting can be painful (similar to a bee or wasp sting), the vast majority of serious medical problems and deaths are caused by an allergic reaction. This occurs in people with overly sensitive (or allergic) immune systems to the venom. The use of strong analgesia is commonly used as first aid for scorpion stings.

The Giant Centipede

The fearsome-looking giant centipede (Ethmostigmus rubripes) is the largest Asian centipede, measuring 7.5 to over 16 cm (6 14 in) in length. The body is flattened and long. The colour ranges from dark or greenish-brown to orange or orange-yellow with black bands and yellow legs and antennae.

This solitary, nocturnal predator can be found in both dry and moist habitats, usually in sheltered areas such as under logs, leaf litter, and under rocks.

These creatures have modified claws called forcipules that curve around their heads and can inject venom into their prey. Both mammals and insects are poisoned by the venom. It can cause severe pain in humans that can last for several days; ice packs can help alleviate some of the discomfort. Some say it’s “intense pain,” while others say it’s no worse than a wasp sting. Thailand Bites and Stings

Giant Asian Hornet

Hornets are well known for their aggression when provoked; hornets can grow to enormous proportions in Eastern Asia, including Japan. Thailand, with a body length of 45 mm (2 in), a wingspan of about 75 mm (3 in), and a stinger of 6 mm (0.24 in) that injects a large amount of potent venom that can damage tissue, similar to many bee and wasp venom.

Even if the dose is sufficient, i.e. if multiple stings are received, the venom can be lethal to people who are not allergic; it is not believed that a single wasp can inject a lethal dose. However, if the victim is allergic to the venom, the risk of death is greatly increased.

Paper Wasps

Paper Wasps are similar to small hornets in appearance, as they are yellow and black/brown in color, but they only grow to a meagre 0.7 – 1.0 inch (1.8 – 2.5 cm) and are not as predatory as their distant cousins, plus the Asian giant Hornet almost exclusively inhabits subterranean nests.

The paper wasp is a cannibal and a bee assassin. This smaller wasp gathers fibres from dead wood and plant stems, which they mix with saliva and use to build water-resistant nests made of grey or brown papery material. Because of the distinctive design of their nests, paper wasps are also known as umbrella wasps.

Bee and wasp stings primarily affect people who are allergic to them. Anyone with a severe allergy should keep an adrenaline injection (e.g., an EpiPen) on hand in case of an emergency. For others, the main issue is pain; apply ice to the sting and take pain relievers.