A tiny spider bite turned into a huge problem for one holidaying Brit who ended up developing a hole in his stomach after an assault by an eight-legged assailant.
Nigel Hunt, 59, from the Isles of Scilly, was nipped on the stomach while lying in bed one evening earlier in the summer.
Thinking it was nothing more than a mild irritation, Mr Hunt, a window fitter, continued with his daily business, including jetting off for a holiday in Egypt.
But the trip away would soon turn into a potentially deadly nightmare.
Mr Hunt became violently sick a few days into his holiday and noticed the site of the spider bite started to grow bigger.
Nigel Hunt was nipped on the stomach while lying in bed at home at St Mary’s on the Isles of Scilly just hours before flying to Egypt
Seeking medical help he eventually went to hospital where tests revealed he had necrotising fasciitis, better known as the ‘flesh-eating disease’ which needed to cut away
Seeking medical help, he eventually went to hospital where tests revealed he had necrotising fasciitis, better known as the ‘flesh-eating disease’.
This is a rare infection where a wound in the skin and soft tissues of the body, such as a spider bite, become infected with bacteria.
These bacteria release toxins as they multiply killing the surrounding tissues. Mr Hunt has since had to have a section of his belly carved out to remove the now dead flesh.
The father of three recalled: ‘On arriving at the airport and travelling through check-in we made our way to departures.
‘At this point, everything seemed to deteriorate quite quickly from being sick in the departure lounge to having my head in a sick bag for most of the journey.
‘On arrival at Sharm El Sheikh, we collected our belongings and made our way to the pharmacy for some antibiotics or something to help with the sickness.
‘They prescribed a couple of things and the following day we went to hospital to be prescribed the same medication.
‘The next two days started to get worse so we went to a different hospital in Hadaba where straight away I had blood tests and ultrasound scans.
‘Then we waited a couple of hours for the doctor to check the results. He called us in saying it was a good job we had come in because the bite was from either a false widow or a brown recluse spider.’
Mr Hunt, a window fitter, became violently sick a few days into his holiday as the site of the spider bite started to grow bigger
Egyptian medics told Mr Hunt he was likely the victim of a bite from a false widow (pictured) or a brown recluse spider
Neither false widows nor brown recluses (pictured) are native to the UK though they have been introduced here via shipments of fruit and other imports
While medics originally thought he had a simple but painful abscess — a collection of pus from an infection — further tests revealed it was the far more serious necrotising fasciitis.
Necrotising fasciitis is a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment which usually consists of a course of antibiotics as well as surgery to cut away dead flesh.
Mr Hunt said medics told him could have died had he not sought medical help for the bite.
‘If I hadn’t been to the hospital for a second examination within six to 10 days, I would be dead,’ he said.
‘They haven’t given me an all-clear date yet as the wound is still open and I have to have it packed every couple of days.
‘I just have to make sure it hasn’t started spreading again.
‘To go from healthy to poorly in such a short time, then to be told you could die, was frightening.
‘I can’t go diving or snorkelling, I can’t go to the beach in case sand gets in the wound, so I’m sat watching TV most of the time although I’m just glad I’m still here.’
He urged fellow Brits to watch out for spiders in order to avoid a potentially dangerous bite.
Neither false widow or a brown recluse spider are native to the UK.
False widows were introduced to Britain from the Canary Islands and Madeira in imports of bananas about a 100 years ago but have become established in southern parts of the British Isles.
Brown recluses are far rarer in the UK being a North American spider species which is occasionally accidentally imported.
NHS data for England shows 11 people needed hospital treatment for spider bites in 2022-23, the latest figures available.
This figure only includes admissions from venomous spiders not from infections that result from bites, as in Mr Hunt’s case.