Signs and Symptoms
Insect bites usually occur on the skin as small, itchy red bumps, with the occasional blister. Some insects, such as fire ants, are known to cause a painful and itchy pus-filled bump.
Flying insects tend to choose 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 insect 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 local 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 marked skin reaction after a few hours with redness, pain, blistering, and ulcers forming, as well as fever, nausea, and fatigue.
Who's At Risk
