Rove beetles have resurged to trouble dwellers in residential quarters across Ho Chi Minh City, sparking public concerns.

Recently, Pham Ngoc Loan from District 8 took her son to the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital of Dermatology and Venereology in District 3 for treatment for inflammation caused by rove beetles.

“It’s been raining for the past few days, and there’s been an influx of rove beetles into my house,” Loan said. 

“Initially thinking nothing of it, my son killed them and slept on a mat spread on the floor. 

“By the next morning, he woke up to find blisters on his ears, swollen eyes, and pustules on his red, irritated face.

“It turned out that after killing the rove beetles, my son didn’t wash his hands and used cotton balls to plug his ears, leading to contact with the rove beetles’ secretions and resulting in the pustules. 

"He frequently scratched his face during sleep, waking up with a rash all over.”

Similarly, Yen Thu from Binh Thanh District recounted an incident where she felt something crawling on her neck while working at night. 

Mistaking it for something harmless, she brushed it away with her hand. 

Within minutes, her neck became hot, itchy, and started to burn. 

Half a day later, blisters formed, causing extreme discomfort.

During the rainy season, the optimal temperature and humidity provide ideal conditions for rove beetles to reproduce, according to Dr. Pham Thi Uyen Nhi, deputy head of planning at the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital of Dermatology and Venereology.

Contact with their secretions can cause skin irritation and lead to the formation of blisters. 

If not properly cared for or if scratched,

The condition can spread further if not properly cared for or when the patient scratches the lesion.

“Recently, the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital of Dermatology and Venereology has recorded an increase in cases of contact dermatitis caused by rove beetles, with 50-70 patients seeking examination daily,” said Dr. Nhi.

“Thanks to their early examination, most patients received prompt treatment from doctors, minimizing complications. 

“However, some cases were severe because patients used folk remedies or self-medicated incorrectly, leading to infections. 

“Moreover, unreliable diagnoses at other facilities misidentified the condition as shingles, exacerbating the disease.”

Dr. Nhi advises that when experiencing contact dermatitis from rove beetles, patients should gently cleanse the affected area to remove their toxic secretions, avoiding rubbing or scratching to prevent spreading the irritation. 

If blisters occur, seeking medical attention from a hospital or specialist is recommended.

Improper treatments like applying unknown substances can worsen the condition, leading to infections and further skin damage.

Potential complications include hypopigmentation, which unusually darkens or lightens the skin after inflammation. 

Severe cases may result in concave or keloid scars.

Recommended preventive measures include using insect prevention nets in tree-rich areas and reducing indoor lighting to minimize rove beetle attraction. 

Residents should also regularly clean areas where rove beetles may hide, such as door cracks and damp corners, maintain personal hygiene, and avoid leaving laundry outside to dry overnight.

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