Signs and Symptoms
Insect bites usually appear as small, itchy, red bumps, occasionally with a blister. Some insects, such as fire ants, can cause a painful and itching raised area containing pus (a pustule).
Flying insects tend to bite exposed areas not covered by clothing, while some bugs (such as fleas) focus on the lower legs. Bedbugs prefer the head and neck area, often biting several times in the same area and leaving a group of lesions.
Common reactions to arthropod stings include:
- Redness, pain, and swelling
- Severe reactions such as facial swelling, difficulty breathing, and shock
(anaphylaxis) - Fever, hives, and painful joints (though these reactions are not as common)
Very few spiders cause severe reactions. The black widow spider may cause
only a mild reaction at the bite site, but pain, stiffness, chills, fever, nausea, and abdominal pain may follow within a few hours. Similarly, the brown recluse spider causes a severe skin reaction after a few hours, with redness, pain, blistering, and ulcers forming, as well as fever, nausea, and fatigue.
Who's At Risk
