Home bug bites
Content:
- Bed bugs
- Bed bug bite symptoms
- The consequences of bedbug bites
- Do bedbugs only bite at night?
- Why don't bugs bite everyone?
- Do bed bugs bite cats?
- How to treat bed bug bites?
- Ways to remove bedbugs
- Bed bug bite facts
Bed bugs
Bed bugs are blood-sucking insects that give people a lot of trouble with their characteristic painful bites. For feeding, bedbugs have a special piercing-sucking apparatus formed by two jaws, which looks like a pointed tube. The bug does not bite, but rather pierces the skin of a person and tries to reach the blood vessel with its proboscis. This parasite has the ability to sense the pulsation of the blood, so it can easily find a suitable capillary.
The bug's proboscis has a unique structure. Inside it there are two channels: one for injecting saliva, which acts as an anesthetic, and the other for sucking in blood. Therefore, the bug bite is not immediately felt by the victim.
After the insect receives the first portion of blood, it moves through the body and repeats its actions, producing a series of 3-6 bites. For one "meal" the parasite sucks up to 7 μl of blood. This amount of food is enough for an adult bug to digest and rest for a week and a half. But the frequency of bites depends on the number of insects in the room. In a heavily infected apartment, a person can count up to 500 bedbug bites in his morning.
Together with adults, the bugs suck blood and their larvae, for which feeding should be daily. When bitten, the larvae do not inject saliva into the wound, so the victim can feel the very process of the bite.
Bed bug bite symptoms
To figure out where the rash appeared on the body, and whether the cause is really bedbugs, you need to know the symptoms of the bites of these parasites. The signs of bedbug bites are very eloquent:
The presence of micro-damage to the skin in certain areas in the form of a characteristic track
Swelling and redness develop along the path. At times, this is the main symptom indicating a bug bite. Considering a series of bites, it is not always possible to understand at what point the insect pierced the skin with its proboscis. However, sometimes the puncture site is highlighted with a red dot.
Severe itching from bug bites
At the same time, the places of the bites itch without ceasing, pain is felt when these areas are touched. People with sensitive skin develop swelling or swelling at the site of the bite. First of all, open areas of the body suffer from parasites. A person is uncomfortable appearing like this in a public place.
How to distinguish bug bites from other insect bites?
Bedbug bites must be distinguished from the bites of other blood-sucking insects, such as mosquitoes, and from the manifestations of allergic dermatitis.
You can distinguish a bite from an allergic reaction by careful comparison. With bites, the redness is not continuous, but is located in paths or islands. A skin rash does not have such swelling as with bites, but the area of the rash turns red all over.
Sometimes the bug bites themselves cause an allergic reaction. Its symptoms are persistent severe itching and persistent redness and swelling. Allergy occurs to the saliva of the bug, which the parasite injects, biting a person. An allergic reaction to the substance that the bug uses as a pain reliever is possible. This allergy is very unpleasant and may not go away for several weeks. With severe edema, you need to purchase antihistamines to treat bug bites.
You can distinguish a bug bite from other insect bites by paying attention to the behavior of the insect. The bug bites through the epidermis and tries to find a suitable capillary, so it leaves behind several bites in a row. Together with an adult bug, a person and his larvae bite: painful abscesses form at the site of the introduction of the latter.
Due to a bug bite, swelling appears on the victim's body, while the area of redness is much larger than with flea bites. The difference between flea bites is also that redness is formed by small spots or dots that are located at a short distance from each other. Thus, the main sign of flea bites is their pinpoint character.
The skin of people reacts to mosquito bites in different ways, most often, these are blisters slightly larger than from a flea bite.
The consequences of bedbug bites
A bug bite, in addition to general symptoms, can cause local inflammation if an infection has been introduced during scratching. The complication is manifested by an increase in temperature in the bitten place, a general deterioration in well-being. In this case, it is necessary to consult a doctor and provide medical assistance.
Related article: How to bring down body temperature?
In connection with blood-sucking insects, there is often concern that they may become infectious by biting an HIV-infected person. However, bugs, mosquitoes and other insects cannot transmit HIV or viral hepatitis to humans. The reason is that viruses do not persist by mixing with bug saliva. Once inside an insect, the virus dies because it cannot multiply in such an organism.
Even if the virus remained active, it would not be able to be transmitted through the saliva of the bug. Indeed, through one channel of the parasite's proboscis, anesthetic saliva enters, and through the other, blood is sucked out of the host's body. There is no connection between the two channels. Thus, if the bug had infected blood, the interpenetration of it and saliva is impossible. This means that the transmission of the virus will not occur.
Special medical studies have shown that even in areas where HIV infection is widespread, which simultaneously contained a large number of dwellings infected with bed bugs, not a single case of HIV infection from insects was observed.
Do bedbugs only bite at night?
Bed bugs are usually not shown during daylight hours. During the day, parasites hide in warm places, but as soon as night falls, they go hunting. This usually happens between three and seven in the morning.
However, if the bed bug is very hungry, it can attack even under artificial light.
Parasites do not allow themselves to be seen by humans, because in this case they will not be able to multiply and die as a species. A person sleeping and still is a great way for bedbugs to get food. It is in order not to disturb the victim's sleep that bedbugs inject anesthetic saliva when bitten. The person does not feel bites, which makes it possible for the parasites to feed, remaining unnoticed.
Why do not bugs bite everyone?
Bed bugs do not bite all people. In the same room or even bed there may be a person who is not touched by insects at all. At the same time, another person will be attacked by these insects daily.
It's not that bedbugs prefer a certain body odor or blood type. Bedbugs are very picky, they choose their prey with thin and smooth skin. These are usually women and children. But men can also be attacked if they have vessels close to the surface of the skin.
It also matters that people react differently to the bites of blood-sucking insects. In some, a bug bite will cause a strong allergic reaction, while in others, the bite sites will be subtle and painless. Sometimes parasite bites disappear in humans for weeks, while in others they disappear in the evening. It is more convenient and safer to bite such victims.
Bites in children manifest themselves in the same way as in adults, but children are preferable for bedbugs, since the parasite easily bites through their delicate and thin skin with its proboscis.
The bug will try to bite through the skin until it finds a place that it likes. At the same time, the sensitive skin of the child begins to swell quickly. Children endure bedbug bites very painfully, so you need to alleviate the consequences as soon as possible.
Treatment for bedbug bites in children is the same as in adults. It is necessary to ensure that children do not scratch the wounds and do not introduce an infection there.
Do bed bugs bite cats?
Bed bugs prefer to feed on human blood, but pets, including cats, are not immune to parasite attacks. The most convenient places for biting in animals are the axillary zones and inguinal folds. But a clean cat will briefly become a carrier of bedbugs, unless a large number of them have accumulated or they are not starving. This can only happen in a highly contaminated room, where for a long time there was no one, including a person.
Some cats are not afraid of bedbugs at all. For example, sphinxes have very thick skin and are unlikely to be parasite hosts. Most cats have a thick coat, which is an obstacle for bedbugs, which can only pierce the smooth epidermis.
Thus, for domestic cats, bloodsucking does not pose the same danger as for humans for two reasons:
- If there is at least one person in the room, bedbugs in 99% of cases will feed on his blood. 1% is allocated to the inhabitants of terrariums and cages, which are most vulnerable to parasites. Moreover, more than one cat can live in the house: due to the fact that these animals are covered with thick wool and have an elastic epidermis, it is not so easy for bugs to get to their blood. This is why bloodsuckers prefer humans over cats and dogs.
- Cats, like their ancestors, prefer to hunt at night. Bedbugs are also nocturnal parasites, and predators are evolutionarily their elder brothers. At the same time, both of them seek to gain an advantage over other species. The cat has such a keen sense of smell that when attacked by a bug, it quickly reacts to the secret of its salivary glands and can fight back.
How to treat bed bug bites?
If you find bed bug bites, you must do the following:
- Taking a warm bath as soon as possible will help relieve the initial skin irritation.
- You can buy antiseptics at the pharmacy, for example, fenistil, which will relieve swelling and itching at the sites of parasite bites. Along with fenistil, you can lubricate sore spots with essential oils (best of all with menthol).
- It is imperative to take an antihistamine (suprastin, tavegil) in order to cope with possible allergies. It is also worth buying sunburn products that dry out the rash and protect the skin. Pain relievers are useful to relieve itching.
The best folk remedies for bedbug bites:
- The bite is covered with mint leaves to relieve pain and relax the skin.
- The dandelion is kneaded, applied to the bite site and bandaged.
- Moisten the bite sites with a sponge dipped in urine to relieve itching and swelling.
- A tampon dipped in garlic juice is applied to the bite site, which soothes irritation, relieves swelling and pain.
- Parsley leaves will help relieve swelling and pain.
- A plantain or bird cherry leaf is applied to the bite site and kept for 2-3 hours, then the skin is treated with a baking soda solution.
- The onion is cut into several parts and applied with the cut side to the bitten areas.
Children often comb bed bug bites. In this case, the wounds should be washed with warm water and soap. It is enough to grease blisters with mint toothpaste or ammonia diluted with water by half.
Ways to remove bedbugs
It is not enough to treat bites, you need to try to destroy the blood-sucking insects in the room. Since this is not easy to do, there are many prejudices among the people regarding the removal of bedbugs.
There is an opinion about the presence of a magic agent that can rid the room of parasites in an instant. Such a tool has never been and never will be. After all, the success of getting rid of blood-sucking insects depends not only on the characteristics of the means used, but also on the quality of sanitization. At the same time, there are more effective and less effective drugs, some of them are safe for humans and pose a threat to health.
To determine how well a particular remedy helps to get rid of bed bugs, you need to pay attention to the following criteria:
- Insect species. The bug is an unusual parasite with special behavior and lifestyle. It is possible to exterminate it finally only in view of these circumstances. The most convenient and effective liquid forms of insecticides are used.
- The object to be processed. If an apartment or living room is being processed, then first of all it is necessary to influence the sofas and beds. In such places, it is convenient to use adhesive tapes and baits, since they act on the sleeping place.
- Safety. The used remedy for bedbugs must be safe for humans and animals living in the house.
- Smell. All modern remedies for bedbugs have a specific smell, but it can be quickly weathered.
The main remedies for bedbug control are:
- Aerosols. They have a weak destructive effect and minimal residual effect on surfaces. Designed for instant action and direct contact with the insect.
- Gels. They are not highly effective in the fight against bedbugs, since the concentration of active substances in them is very low. The advantage is that they are well absorbed into the surface, therefore they have a long residual effect - sometimes up to three months.
- Dusts. They are an insecticidal powder. They are poured inside sofas, in the folds of furniture upholstery, in the seams of mattresses, at the baseboards, in the cracks. The impact occurs due to the adhesion of the powder to the paws of insects and their chitinous cover, which ensures contact between the insecticide and the bug. However, the powder does not completely remove the parasites.
- Devices for bedbugs
- Ultrasonic emitters;
- Traps and baits;
- Steam generators;
- Fumigators.
- Liquid preparations. According to many people, they are the most effective remedies for bedbugs.
Among the devices from bedbugs are distinguished:
All of these devices are designed to scare away bedbugs rather than to destroy them, and are used if you want to protect yourself from the effects of chemicals. The effectiveness of such equipment is questionable.
Among the liquids for removing bedbugs stand out:
- Concentrated emulsions, which are a chemical dissolved in water or alcohol with the addition of an emulsifier. Used in a diluted form (per 1 liter of water) and prepared before use. The most famous are: karbofos, kukaracha, tsifoks, clean house, averfos, ram.
- Microencapsulated emulsions and suspensions, where the active substance is placed in a capsule covered with a protective film. The substance protrudes from the walls of the capsule due to diffusion, and acts on the surface for 10-14 days. It sometimes takes a whole month to wait until the drug appears on the surface, which is a serious drawback of the technique. On the other hand, the gradual release mechanism guarantees long-term residual action on surfaces. The drugs are safe for people and pets. Most popular: minap-22, ultra effective.
Bed bug bite facts
- A congestion of medium-sized bedbugs can inflict several hundred bites in one night. After one or two nights, all open areas of the human body will be completely covered with bites.
- According to the human blood contained inside the bug, it is possible to establish the DNA of its victim within 90 days. Such data is used in forensic science.
- It is difficult for bedbugs to move on leather, polished and metal surfaces; insects try to avoid such objects. Consider this when choosing a sleeping place. Blood-sucking parasites are attracted to untreated wood, so a wooden bed must be varnished or painted.
Author of the article: Danilova Tatyana Vyacheslavovna | Infectionist
Education: in 2008 received a diploma in General Medicine (General Medicine) at the Pirogov Russian Research Medical University. Immediately passed an internship and received a diploma of a therapist
