Don’t squash a Nairobi fly on your body
May 15, 2007
ROGERS, a 34-year-old banker could not work for three days because of what he thought was a bite from a Nairobi fly. These flies are common around lakeshores. However, according to the ministry of Health, the beetle, called Nairobi fly because it was first discovered in Nairobi, Kenya, is a harmless
By Halima Shaban
ROGERS, a 34-year-old banker could not work for three days because of what he thought was a bite from a Nairobi fly. These flies are common around lakeshores. However, according to the ministry of Health, the beetle, called Nairobi fly because it was first discovered in Nairobi, Kenya, is a harmless insect.
The director general of health services, Dr. Sam Zaramba, says the Nairobi eye beetles can neither bite nor sting.
“However, their body fluids contain poisonous substances that cause irritation to the skin, especially to the more delicate parts of the body such as the eyes and the face. The eye is especially sensitive because a very small amount of the poison can produce a painful and swollen eye, a condition referred to as the ‘Nairobi eye’,†Zaramba says.
Dr. Sam Okware, the commissioner of health services, says when the insect is squashed on to the skin, poisonous fluids are released on the skin, causing a painful inflammation, which later causes blisters or, if in the eyes, temporary blindness.
The flies are metallic blue green in the middle (thorax and wings) and pinkish red in the head and abdomen. They measure about 1cm in length. They breed in damp places, particularly rubbish heaps with decomposing vegetable matter. They are seasonal, being most prevalent during or immediately after the rains. Like many insects, Nairobi flies are attracted to light at night and enter human habitations.
Okware advises that people should avoid contact with its body fluid. “When the insect drops on you, shake it off. Avoid crushing it on to the skin. And if you squash the beetle between your hands, wash away the fluid with soap and water and avoid touching other parts of the body with the contaminated hands,†says Okware.
Application of Vaseline or any other ointments may make the fluids spread on to the skin and worsen the situation, he added.
In case of any serious conditions caused by the beetle, the person affected should report to a health unit.
The Ministry of Health advises public health officials that during a serious outbreak, the breeding sites should be treated with residual public health insecticides suitable for outdoor use.
Suspected breeding sites should be liberally sprayed with emulsifiable or suspension concentrates of pesticides.
However, Okware notes, that such outbreaks are usually brief, lasting about a week.
ROGERS, a 34-year-old banker could not work for three days because of what he thought was a bite from a Nairobi fly. These flies are common around lakeshores. However, according to the ministry of Health, the beetle, called Nairobi fly because it was first discovered in Nairobi, Kenya, is a harmless insect.
The director general of health services, Dr. Sam Zaramba, says the Nairobi eye beetles can neither bite nor sting.
“However, their body fluids contain poisonous substances that cause irritation to the skin, especially to the more delicate parts of the body such as the eyes and the face. The eye is especially sensitive because a very small amount of the poison can produce a painful and swollen eye, a condition referred to as the ‘Nairobi eye’,†Zaramba says.
Dr. Sam Okware, the commissioner of health services, says when the insect is squashed on to the skin, poisonous fluids are released on the skin, causing a painful inflammation, which later causes blisters or, if in the eyes, temporary blindness.
The flies are metallic blue green in the middle (thorax and wings) and pinkish red in the head and abdomen. They measure about 1cm in length. They breed in damp places, particularly rubbish heaps with decomposing vegetable matter. They are seasonal, being most prevalent during or immediately after the rains. Like many insects, Nairobi flies are attracted to light at night and enter human habitations.
Okware advises that people should avoid contact with its body fluid. “When the insect drops on you, shake it off. Avoid crushing it on to the skin. And if you squash the beetle between your hands, wash away the fluid with soap and water and avoid touching other parts of the body with the contaminated hands,†says Okware.
Application of Vaseline or any other ointments may make the fluids spread on to the skin and worsen the situation, he added.
In case of any serious conditions caused by the beetle, the person affected should report to a health unit.
The Ministry of Health advises public health officials that during a serious outbreak, the breeding sites should be treated with residual public health insecticides suitable for outdoor use.
Suspected breeding sites should be liberally sprayed with emulsifiable or suspension concentrates of pesticides.
However, Okware notes, that such outbreaks are usually brief, lasting about a week.