Taken aback by the insects that he kept finding in his urine, a man in China sought medical treatment for his disturbing condition.
Lab tests later confirmed that the patient’s urine sample contained multiple insects.
According to Phoenix News, the story was originally shared on Weibo by the medical science blog @协和医生Do先生.
Upon investigating the man’s medical history, doctors suspected the root of the problem was poor hygiene conditions, specifically, dirty environments where the man had been drying his underwear.
They believe insects may have laid eggs on his underwear, which then hatched and entered the urethra.
The insects were then eventually expelled through urination.
Source: Canva, for illustrative purposes only.
While such cases are extremely rare, there is a risk when underwear is hung to dry in unsanitary locations such as bathrooms, near toilets, or in areas with poor ventilation and high bacterial or insect activity.
Experts say the most common insects found laying eggs on underwear in such conditions are flies and drain moths.
The insects are attracted to faeces and filth, so they often linger in toilets, sewers, and trash heaps.
If underwear is left exposed in such areas, eggs, invisible to the naked eye, can be laid on the fabric.
Source: Canva, for illustrative purposes only.
Infections caused by fly larvae can resemble other urinary tract issues. Warning signs include:
Frequent urination
Urgency or pain during urination
Itching or redness in the genital area
Discomfort during sexual activity
A crawling or foreign body sensation
If untreated, larval infections can lead to urethritis, vaginitis, cystitis, or balanitis (inflammation of the penis).
The longer the larvae stay in the body, the worse the consequences.
Doctors stress that while this type of infection is rare, the consequences can be severe if left untreated.
People are advised to wash undergarments frequently and avoid drying underwear in toilets or damp, unclean areas.
As much as possible, use sun exposure to kill bacteria and insect eggs when drying clothes.
A person should also seek immediate medical help if unusual symptoms arise.
Also read: Man in Taiwan complains of blood in urine, discovers food bits inside bladder
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Featured image adapted from Canva and Canva, for illustrative purposes only.