Mysterious Insect Bite Covers Man In Bruises, Puzzles Doctors

A man from Arizona was left to suffer “excruciating pain” after a serious insect bite on his arm that left doctors baffled.

Thomas Jay said he was taking out the trash from his home in Chandler when he felt a sudden pinch on his arm that quickly escalated to something sinister. It was thought that the bite was caused by an insect, however, no one could figure out which insect it was.

“As I glanced at it really quick, all of a sudden I just felt this excruciating pinch, this pressure, this bite or a sting that happened and occurred. And [I] immediately went and swatted the bug off. He also added that he had never seen the bug before and described it as something of like a “cross between a scorpion and a spider,” Jay told the CBS affiliate KPHO.

Over the next few days, the bite spread on his arm and became more aggressive, covering it in large, painful bruises. Jay then sought medical help at a local hospital that was unable to solve the mystery and referred them to a bigger hospital in Phoenix. According to reports, doctors had conducted a multitude of tests and were awaiting biopsy results for further clues on what the insect actually was.

His family was absolutely baffled and worried, with his wife, Dee Petrov starting a GoFundMe page urging people to raise money for Jay’s medical bills.

“It started with one little round circle and became an emergency in a matter of hours! In between were an Urgent Care and two hospitals within a 24 period. We are stilling praying there are no long-term effects but there are still issues with the arm and more medical tests and doctors to see,” she wrote on the GoFundMe page.

She also added that after an online search, they were speculating that the bite was caused by a ‘Solifugae’, more commonly known as a camel spider.

Petrov also thanked everyone who had come forward to help Jay by offering their support and prayers. She stated they had received a lot of help and advice from their Living Chandler Facebook group.

Petrov took to social media to give updates on Jay’s health and said he was doing better. Jay 's arm was healing well although the side effects of pain, itching, and loss of strength in his arm still persisted, KPNX reported.

The family said they received exceptional care from the doctors although the case still remained a medical mystery. On the GoFundMe page, Petrov said any funds raised in addition to their medical expenses would be donated to the Banner Health Facility in Phoenix to enable further research and education “in hopes that we can help better fight these types of medical emergencies.”

Meanwhile, Jay agreed to be a part of a case study to figure out the bite. "Even though they may not be able to figure out what it was, they might be able to help other individuals as they learn from this situation," he told KPHO.

Arizona