The reasons for ingesting the beetles in the above case were unclear and could
not be ascertained since the children were unsupervised at the time. However,
some beetles in rural Zimbabwe (Scaraebaeidae, Eulepida mashona ) are considered
delicacies and the beetles in this case may have been consumed in error or out of
curiosity. Whilst the beetles have also been used in traditional medicine in
Southern Africa (Harrisberg et al., 1984), this explanation is not likely in this case
due to the preparation technique employed as well as the ages of the children. The
patient, in our case, presented with lower abdominal pain, haematuria, proteinuria
and oliguria consistent with other reports in the literature (Till and Majmudar,
1981; Manoguerra and Rumack, 1995). The patient was also hyperkalaemic and
hyponatraemic probably due to a combination of renal dysfunction and ¯uid lossdue to vomiting and bleeding.