[Anaphylactic reaction caused by a horse-fly species (Hippobosca equina)]

The authors report on the case of a 46-year-old female patient who had an anaphylactic reaction of lucky outcome after a fly bite. She shortly developed a hard swelling of 15 cm diameter covered by scab, on the hairy scalp where hair meets the forehead, as well as an oedema on the forehead. Shortly afterwards came an erythema and pruritus on the face and body, and oedema on the hands, face and lips, later accompanied by shivers, nausea and vomit. The captured insect was identified by a taxonomic key to be a Hippobosca equina (horse-fly). To our knowledge, this is the first case reported in Hungary on anaphylactic reactions to Hippobosca equina bite. Hippobosca equina lives all over the world - also known in Hungary -, mostly in grazing lands, stables and cowsheds, sucking the blood of horses, asses and occasionally other animals. As a vector it may be a carrier and transmitter of pathogens. With this report we wish to call attention of family physicians and clinicians on the clinical symptoms of the bite of Hippobosca equina, since they have not the specific experience required to the diagnosis of such insect bite.