To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Man's Leg Swelled To Size Of Pig After Getting Bitten By Mosquito

Man's Leg Swelled To Size Of Pig After Getting Bitten By Mosquito

Bong Thet, 27, now has to drag his leg along the ground painfully as he tries to move around

Jess Hardiman

Jess Hardiman

The leg of a man in Cambodia has swollen to the size of a pig, after his mosquito bites became infected more than two decades ago and caused the limb to balloon.

Bong Thet, 27, now has to drag his leg along the ground painfully as he tries to move around his family home in Kampong Chhnang province.

Having once dreamed of being a footballer, Bong has not been able to kick a ball properly since he was six years old, when the tumour first started developing.

It began to grow from small wounds on his foot, which his parents had ignored as they believed they were merely scratches from playing outside.

ViralPress

However, small lumps started to appear on Bong's foot, and by the time he was 12 years old they had completely covered his legs.

Sadly, his parents - who were working in a nearby factory - could not afford the medical treatment for their son, meaning the condition worsened over the years.

ViralPress

Bong eventually had to stop going to school as it became too difficult for him to walk long distances, and when he could attend, other children constantly teased him about his leg.

He endured the condition without seeking specialist help for more than two decades, until earier this month, when some good Samaritans heard about his story and offered to pay for Bong's much-needed treatment.

Businesswoman Dana Try gave 10,000,000 Cambodia Riel (around $2,500 / £1,900), which paid for his medical expenses, meaning Bong was able to visit a hospital for the first time.

At hospital, doctors checked Bong's blood and found that he has Lymphatic filariasis, a parasitic disease caused by thread-like worms.

They said it was possible that he contracted the parasites from mosquito bites, which were scratched and then bled, leading to the wounds.

ViralPress

The condition is one of the leading causes of disability in the world, but there is no known vaccine or cure for the disease yet.

Bong was disheartened when he learned that the disease was incurable, but he was still incredibly grateful to those who had donated money to his cause.

He said: ''This will make my life easier and knowing that there are people who care for me makes me feel happy.

''I am so grateful for them to helping. They money will pay for medicine and food.

''I will continue to take the medication given to me by the doctors which will make my life more comfortable.''

Featured Image Credit: ViralPress

Topics: World News, News