Woman discovers parasite living in leg after beach holiday

A woman discovered tiny, red pimples all over her leg following a beach holiday. She didn’t think anything of it until it became unbearably itchy.

Woman’s parasite horror after beach trip. Picture: Jam Press

A woman on holiday at a beach town has been left scarred after she discovered a parasite living in her leg.

Marystella Gomez, a podcaster from Colombia, was on a week-long holiday in the resort town of Coveñas with her family, when the horrifying ordeal unfolded.

The 27-year-old explained in a now viral TikTok she contracted a parasite while walking along a beach, but it wasn’t until she got home that she realised it was something far more sinister than a “rash”.

Marystella Gomez, 27, from Colombia, was on a holiday in the resort town of Coveñas, when she contracted the parasite. Picture: Jam Press

At first glance, Marystella didn’t think anything of it and put down the itchy red mark to an allergic reaction.

But things quickly escalated when she began to develop small, red pimples all along her right shin.

She said it became so itchy, it was unbearable and took herself to emergency.

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

“Strangely, I only scratched my leg a lot at night and I didn’t understand why.

She didn’t think anything of it at first – but when she got home things took a drastic turn. Picture: Jam Press

“I went to the emergency room and they told me that I had a fungus or an allergy and they gave me medicine.”

Marystella said the medication didn’t work and her leg got “worse and worse”.

”A couple of days after going to the emergency room I had an appointment with the dermatologist,” she explained in a TikTok.

Her leg began to feel unbearably itchy and little, red pimples began to form on her shin. Picture: Jam Press

Following a trip to the emergency roo it was discovered a parasite was living in her leg. Picture: Jam Press

“And it was then, the doctor told me that I had a parasite.”

This particular parasite is known as cutaneous larva migrans, or hookworm, and is usually transmitted via animal faeces.

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

“Many people take their dogs and cats to the beach and they poop,” Marystella added.

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

Marystella was told the parasite she had was called cutaneous larva migrans, or hookworm, and is usually transmitted via animal faeces. Picture: Jam Press

“The parasite sticks by direct contact with the skin.”

The 27-year-old said her dermatologist put her on medication to kill the parasite — and it eventually went away.

“He also told me that the reason I scratch so much at night is because parasites lay eggs at night,” she said.

She spent most her time on the beach where she believes she contracted it. Picture: Jam Press

“How do parasites know it is night? By body temperature.”

Marystella’s video has been viewed more than 250,000 views with hundreds of comments from shocked TikTok users.

“Nooo new fear deactivated — one no longer can touch sand,” one person wrote.

“The same thing happened to me in Coveñas when I was seven years old, I’m 20 hahaha. It was on the soles of my feet, nobody knew what I had until a doctor found out what it was,” another added.

Others said it’s why they wear thongs or sandals on the beach.

“I don’t walk without flip flops or in my own bathroom,” one person joked.

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