Cimicidae (bedbug)
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Introduction
Reddish-brown flattened wingless insects approximately 5 mm in length. They are blood-sucking with long, narrow proboscis folded underneath the body when not in use. (also see Cimex lectularius)
Epidemiology
- cosmopolitan in distribution, attack almost any mammal & feed primarily at night
- during the day, they hide under mattresses or in other small dark spaces
- bedbugs do not actively infest skin
- traveler's may unwittingly bring bedbugs home in their luggage
- bedbugs are not known to transmit diseases
Clinical manifestations
- bites may cause painful wheal or bullae, depending upon the victim's sensitivity to the bedbug saliva
- bites described as urticarial papules
- may be a linear pattern to multiple bites, 'breakfast, lunch & dinner'
- some individuals may not react at all[2]
* image[4]
Complications
- bites can become secondarily infected
Management
- topical glucocorticoids, unless secondarily infected
- oral antihistamines may provide symptomatic relief of itching[2]
More general terms
More specific terms
References
- ↑ Clinical Diagnosis & Management by Laboratory Methods, 19th edition, J.B. Henry (ed), W.B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, PA. 1996, pg 1303
- ↑ Jump up to: 2.0 2.1 2.2 Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 16 American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 2012
- ↑ Kolb A, Needham GR, Neyman KM, High WA. Bedbugs. Dermatol Ther. 2009 Jul-Aug;22(4):347-52 PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19580578
- ↑ Jump up to: 4.0 4.1 Wikipedia: Cimicidae (image) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cimicidae