Mozzie has mum in agony

A TULLY woman has described the searing pain she endured for more than a month when a seemingly innocent mosquito bite on her ankle turned nasty.

Keen gardener Shannon Cooper (above) said she noticed a small insect bite on the inside of her ankle on July 1.

Four days later, the tiny bump had developed into a massive open wound and a trip to the hospital revealed a serious infection in her leg.

“By July 5, my ankle had become a ‘kankle’ and the mozzie bite was no longer a tiny red lump,” Ms Cooper said.

“I am so glad I went to the doctor when I did ... a swab test revealed streptococcus infection, which is usually associated with an insect or spider bite.”

Ms Cooper said the pain radiated from the wound through to her bone and the infection left her unable to walk for three weeks.

The mum-of-two said the pain from the infection was far greater than childbirth.

“After daily dressing visits at the hospital, not being able to walk for over three weeks, antibiotics, de-roofing the wound and using the bathroom sink for a sponge bath as I couldn’t get in the shower, I was finally cleared to go back to work on August 4,” she said.

“The bone ached until just two weeks ago ... and I was on both painkillers and antibiotics,” she said.

Ms Cooper said she was unsure where she was when she had first been bitten.

“I spend so much time gardening I don’t know if it was out there or in bed that I got bitten ... (but) needless to say I have since fumigated my whole house anyway,” she said.