A man spent four weeks in a coma after being bitten by an Asian tiger mosquito after experts warned the dangerous pest is becoming more common.
Sebastian Rotschke, 27, had to undergo multiple operations after doctors found that he was suffering from blood poisoning in Roedermark, Germany, according to local media.
The Daily Star reports that Sebastian suffered from a whole host of issues including suffering from liver, kidney, heart and lung failure at various moments.
He was even forced to undergo a skin transplant to his thigh after being bitten in the summer of 2021 as an abscess had formed on his left thigh.
Sebastian commented on the incident, stating: "I haven't been abroad.
"The bite must have happened here."
Experts in Germany have recently warned people about the spread of the Asian tiger mosquito in the Rhein-Main region, with Sebastian first suffering from flu-like symptoms once he became sick.
Asian tiger mosquitoes, also known as forest mosquitoes, are daytime-biting insects that can transmit harmful diseases like Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), Zika virus, West Nile virus, Chikungunya and dengue fever.
The 27-year-old added: "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.
"Suddenly I saw that my grey sweatpants were completely soaked. All of a sudden, a huge abscess had formed on my left thigh."
A tissue sample showed that a bacteria called Serratia marcescens had eaten away half of Sebastian's thigh as he said that his chances of survival were low.
He said: "The doctors very quickly guessed that the Asian tiger mosquito bite was the cause of the whole thing and called in a specialist."
After undergoing over 30 operations and having two of his toes partially amputated, Sebastian remains on sick leave but has said he's "fine so far".
He warned others of the risk of Asian tiger mosquitos as he advised: "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!"
However, this is not the first time that Asian tiger mosquitos have caused concern in Europe.
Last month, the insect plagued a popular European tourist destination and caused an "unprecedented" home-grown dengue fever outbreak.
Around 47 people called the flu-like virus in Provence, southern France.
The outbreaks took place across five local transmission chains in France, surpassing the total number recorded in the country in the last decade.
Asian tiger mosquitoes are reportedly becoming more common in France as scientists predict that within four or five years they will be all over the country.
According to the NHS, the infection is usually mild and passes after about a week without causing any lasting problems. But in rare cases, it can be very serious and potentially life-threatening.
Experts said at the time that a warm summer caused by climate change and an increased level of trade and travel post-Covid likely contributed to the record numbers.
