Woman petrified as itchy rash in her leg is actually a PARASITE

A woman has become terrified after discovering a parasite living in her leg.

Marystella Gomez, 27, from Bogotá, Colombia, increased TikTok to share details of the horrific ordeal that unfolded as she flew home from a beach vacation.

The podcaster enjoyed a week-long vacation with her family in Coveñas, lounging on the sand and jumping into the sea.

However, her dream vacation quickly turned into a nightmare when she noticed small red pimples on her leg.

The itchy rash worsened until she couldn’t take it anymore, and an emergency room visit when she got home revealed the shock of her life – a parasite was living in Marystella’s leg.

Marystella Gomez, 27, from Bogotá, Colombia, was left terrified after discovering a parasite in her leg

The podcaster’s dream vacation in Coveñas quickly turned into a nightmare when she noticed tiny red pimples lining her leg

The news of Marystella brought fear to many, with some declaring it was time to leave the beach.

“I started scratching my leg more and more,” she said.

‘Oddly enough, I only scratched my leg a lot at night and I didn’t understand why.

“I went to the emergency room and they told me I had a fungus or an allergy and they put me on medication.

“The medicine didn’t work and my leg kept getting worse.”

At first glance, Marystella thought the rash was an allergic reaction to something.

But when medication failed to clear things up, her fears began to grow.

She added, “A few days after I went to the emergency room, I had an appointment with the dermatologist.

Marystella says the itchy rash got worse at night and got worse and worse over time

She shared the horrifying story on TikTok (@doscabraslocas), where it left users shocked, with nearly 260,000 views

The horrific ordeal unfolded as she flew home from a beach vacation with her family

“And then the doctor told me I had a parasite.”

This particular parasite is known as cutaneous larva migrans or hookworm and is usually transmitted through animal feces.

Their eggs can be transferred into soil or in this case sand and can then penetrate human skin.

“A lot of people take their dogs and cats to the beach and they poop,” she added.

“The owners don’t pick it up and then it gets stuck in the sand and you sit or step on the sand and the parasite sticks to you.”

The news of Marystella left many stunned, with some declaring it was time to hit the beach. One person said this had happened many times before

‘The parasite sticks through direct contact with the skin.

“The dermatologist sent me medicine to kill the parasite and it went away.

He also told me that the reason I scratch so much at night is because parasites lay eggs at night.

‘How do parasites know it is night? At body temperature’.

What are hookworms and how are they transmitted?

A hookworm is an intestinal parasite of humans.

The larvae and adult worms that live in the small intestine can cause intestinal disorders.

The two main types of hookworms that infect humans are Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus.

Hookworm eggs are excreted in the stool of an infected person.

However, if a hookworm from another animal is passed on to a human, they will burrow into their skin and cause a painful rash.

Dr. Samuel told FEMAIL: ‘Cutaneous Larva Migrans is one of the most common tropically acquired skin conditions in the world.

“Most people who don’t live in tropical countries often get it when they go on an exotic vacation in the tropics and hit the beach.

‘Hookworms are more common in tropical countries/conditions because they like heat and humidity.

‘They can also survive for months to years if there is a favorable environment. Although the beach is a common place to get hookworms, they can be found in other places as well.’

She went on to thank the dermatologist who she says “rescued” after the terrifying experience.

The TikTok video has since gone viral and has nearly 260,000 views.

One person clearly stunned by the event replied, “Trauma.”

Another commented, “I see a lot of people say the same thing happened to them in Coveñas, I’m not going there.

Someone else said: ‘No new fear deactivated, you can’t even get sand anymore’.

Meanwhile, one person declared, “Thank God I’m not going to the beach.”

“But it’s almost impossible to walk on the beach without wearing sandals,” added another.