Requinn Nicolette was hospitalized and sickened for four months after contracting the painful disease from a mosquito that bit her in her Lakeland, Fla., backyard
NEED TO KNOW
- Requinn Nicolette says a mosquito bite in her Lakeland backyard led to a four-month illness and hospitalization from dengue
- Florida has reported 252 locally acquired dengue cases this year, marking local spread for the first time in 15 years
- CDC advises residents in at-risk areas to use repellent and wear long sleeves and pants
A Florida woman is sharing her experience with the brutal disease dengue fever amid a fatal surge of cases in the state.
“It truly felt like my bones were breaking,” Requinn Nicolette told Fox 13 about her months-long struggle with dengue fever, which she says she contracted when a mosquito bit her in her Lakeland backyard two years ago. Dengue has earned the nickname “breakbone fever” due to the unbearable bone and muscle pain caused by the virus. The pain was “probably the worst symptom for me,” she said.
The aspiring country singer said she’s sharing her story as a warning to be vigilant about preventing mosquito bites, as “I’m a grown adult and I can’t imagine a child experiencing what I experienced.” She endured a month of vomiting, a rash, and headaches. Her veins and blood vessels leaked internally, causing severe bruising. She was hospitalized for four days amid the four-month ordeal…