Yate woman in hospital six years after holiday mosquito bite

A mum from Yate whose daughter has been in hospital for months has described her condition as “awful” and “traumatic”.

Vicky Archer was admitted to Southmead Hospital in Bristol in January this year after spending weeks in and out of care.

The 20-year-old suffers from a condition called autoimmune encephalitis, which was triggered by a mosquito bite she had on holiday in Menorca in 2016.

Since then, Vicky’s mum Alison says her daughter has experienced six relapses - as well as speech problems, hair loss, skin rashes and swelling.

‘Out of character behaviour’

Prior to Vicky’s admission in January, Alison said her daughter had been in and out of hospital since November last year.

She said she was suffering from headaches, fatigue and struggled to retain information.

"It was really out of character behaviour, we picked up on it because we know our daughter very well,” she said.

"Before she was admitted, I noticed she was becoming impatient and that she was having cognitive fatigue, that she was not as good as before with her college homework.

“She had been doing very well with her college before. She was still getting the headaches and was finding it hard to retain information."

Doctors believe Vicky’s latest relapse has been caused by the cold sore virus.

Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain which, according to the Encephalitis Society, is caused by either an infection invading the brain or through the immune system attacking the brain in error.

Alison, who lives in Yate, South Gloucestershire, said doctors want to carry out more tests before starting treatment.

"They are waiting for tests to be done, even though she has had six years of tests,” she said.

"These tests just keep getting delayed. They say they won't treat because they want the results to prove it is encephalitis. 

“But she has had this before and this is her seventh relapse since 2016.”

Southmead Hospital said patients’ conditions are often very complex and that providing the "very best treatment and care" is their top priority.

Professor Steve Hams, who is chief nursing officer at North Bristol NHS Trust, said: "We’re so sorry to hear this family’s concerns and are working closely with them at this very difficult time.

"Patients’ conditions are often very complex, and while we can’t comment on individual cases, we can say that giving patients the very best treatment and care is our top priority."