How internet search and patient's self-diagnosis helped in the management of a case of paederus dermatitis

Abstract

Searching symptoms on the internet and self-diagnosis is being criticized for its uncertainty in the diagnosis. However, it may help the patient and the doctor in the diagnosis and management of a disease. In this article, we present a case where the use of smartphone and internet search helped the patient and the doctor in the initial management and diagnosis of paederus dermatitis. A 34-year-old male, an urban inhabitant, noticed pain on the right side of his neck while he was sleeping at night. He woke up and noticed a beetle on his pillow. As the beetle was an unfamiliar one, he took pictures on his smartphone and searched about the beetle on the internet. From the results, he identified the beetle as “Nairobi fly,” self-diagnosed it as “paederus dermatitis,” and washed the area with soap and water to remove vesicant secreted by the beetle. Next day morning, he presented with severe pain and mild erythema on the right side of the neck. The diagnosis becomes obvious from the images shown by the patient. The patient was treated with a topical steroid and oral antihistaminic for 7 days. The patient recovered from dermatitis on the 10th day.