Blandford or Horse Fly bites - WARNING

[award]

Further to Mrs H's post about being bitten by a 'BlandFord Fly' at OD's Bentley Woods event on Sunday March 9th I felt my experiences may act as a warning to fellow orienteers. I was bitten on both of my lower legs at Bentley Woods. I did not notice anything until Monday morning when the bites became inflamed and itchy. Over the next few days the swelling, rash and irritation increased and I saw a GP at my surgery last Thursday. He prescribed anti-biotics and anti-histamine (loratadine). After a sleepless night on Friday I called 111 and went to see an out of hours NHS nurse practitioner on Saturday lunchtime. Typically when seen there was less inflammation and more rash and she prescribed an alternative anti-histamine (fexofenadine). Last night I was uncomfortable with swelling, hot, rashed tight skin (more prominent in one leg/ankle/foot than the other). A call to my GP surgery this morning and I was triaged to see the GP I saw 5 days ago who was very concerned and said my cellulitis had worsenend (I don't recall him telling me I had cellulitis last week!) Anyhow now with sick note, double strength anti-biotics (flucloxacillin) and piriton (trying a different antihistamine!) Resting with feet higher than hips and will walk a bit later. If no better by Friday will be admitted to hospital! Here's hoping all will be well. My advice to orienteers who adversely react to bites is ensure you seek medical advice and rest. I have had a stressful time with work pressures and elderly mum in hospital/'negotiations' with social care that all did not help my body fight the infection.

[Barny]

Blandford Fly started in the Blandford area many years ago
Rumour has it that some 'lovely little boy' bought some mosquitoes back to Bryanston School (on edge of Blandford) in a glass jar from his exotic place of residence abroad and they escaped
About 10-15 years ago the situation had got quite bad in this area with often between 1000 - 1500 people needing serious treatment but nothing was
done despite several campaigns to spray the local waters where the larvae hatch at start of season
A gardening session would result in anything up to 10 bites usually on lower leg (or arms when you reached down to weed) It is not the ones in the air you have to watch but the ones on the ground (female I think) as they like blood
Then the 'posh' people of Bournemouth started to have problems and suddenly we had a spraying programme funded for by various organisations including North District Council
However at the moment there is a dispute going on as North Dorset District Council is saying that the NHS should pay for it now as it I in their remit - so at the moment no spraying next year unless situation is resolved.
Some people do react - I usually just have a throbbing leg for a week and a complaining muscle and then it heals up. Some at the other extreme end up in Hospital

Having had no serious problem here in recent years I was on a cycling trip at Bentley Woods - other side of Salisbury last week and got bitten by one - first for ages

[MIE]

After being bitten (on the head) at the event at Chawton on March 5th
I went to the GP on Friday and she prescribed Co-amoxiclav (penicillin)
"bricks" (they were that big ) and Cetirizine (anti-histamine).
All cleared up in 5 days, but still itches a bit at the bite point.
(My face swelled up so much I could barely see between my eye-lids
from Friday to Sunday)

[AndyC]

Can I ask those of you bitten (so you to Mrs H), I understand that these flies stay close to the ground, were you wearing gaiters or bramble bashers and did you have any exposed skin where you were bitten?
Not a blame thing -looking for preventative measures for everyone

[Mrs H]

I was bitten on the elbow which was bare as was at least one of my club mates, I am quite small - that may be not much more than a metre off the ground I suppose

[award]

I was bitten on both lower legs that were covered by long Craft tights. I guess the little blighters must have bitten through the materia!