What is Bedbug Bites?
The family Cimicidae, often referred to as “bugs”, houses about 90 species, but only a few bite humans. The major culprits are usually Cimex lectularius and the tropical bed bug, Cimex hemipterus. The latter is typically found in tropical areas close to the equator, while Cimex lectularius is more common in moderate climates. Lately, however, both species have started moving beyond their usual habitats and Cimex lectularius is most often linked to outbreaks in the United States.
Bed bugs are organisms that feed at night and suck blood. Their primary target is humans. Bed bug infestations in the United States had been decreasing until there was a comeback in the 1990s. This was because of increased travels internationally and the appearance of bed bug breeds resistant to pesticides. In 2006, professionals controlling pests in Australia reported a staggering increase in bed bug infestations, over 4,500%. And currently, infestations of bed bugs have been reported in every state of the U.S. In fact, by 2012, about 1 in every 5 Americans had either experienced an infestation in their homes or knew someone who had dealt with bed bugs.
Bed bugs infestations are not only limited to homes and hotels, but they are also appearing in workplaces, stores, healthcare facilities, and movie theaters. Essentially, bed bugs can be found almost anywhere people sleep or sit.
What Causes Bedbug Bites?
Bed bugs are drawn to humans because of our body heat and the carbon dioxide we release. They’d typically walk (not fly or jump) out from their hiding spots in crevices or cracks to approach us. While they prefer us, they can also feed on other creatures that are warm-blooded. For instance, in the United States, bed bugs can infest chicken coops and reduce the number of eggs chickens produce.
Interestingly, bed bugs don’t live on us. They usually only come in contact with humans when they need a meal, roughly every couple of days, and that’s usually when we’re sleeping. This typically happens between 1:00 AM and 5:00 AM when we’re in deep sleep. Another curious fact about bed bugs is that they use a kind of scent called aggregation pheromones to stay close together while they’re resting during the day. This scent also helps them find their way back to their hiding places after feeding.
Temperature and humidity can affect the life of a bed bug. For example, a female bed bug will usually lay around 5 to 8 eggs a week for 18 weeks if the temperature is around 23°C and the humidity is around 90%. However, this cycle can change depending on the conditions they’re in.
People are usually bitten when they sleep in beds that have bed bugs. But bed bugs can also live in other furniture in the room, or even in areas outside the bedroom that people frequently use.
Risk Factors and Frequency for Bedbug Bites
Bedbug bites affect both men and women, and people of all ages. However, they are more common in people who live in densely populated places like apartments, those who frequently travel and stay in hotels, and people in lower socioeconomic situations. Bedbugs spread from one place to another through power outlets and air ducts or by hitching a ride on used furniture, luggage, and book bags. Though less common, they can also spread via direct contact between skin or clothing. This, however, is less likely due to the bedbugs’ nighttime activity and their tendency to avoid moving hosts.
Signs and Symptoms of Bedbug Bites
Bedbug bites can affect people differently. Some might not show any visible signs of being bitten, while others may develop large, raised itchy bumps greater than 1 cm. In very rare cases, individuals might even have severe allergic reactions. Bedbug bites are most commonly found on the face, neck, and hands, but they can appear anywhere on the body that is exposed during sleep.
A telltale sign of bedbug bites is the “breakfast, lunch, and dinner” pattern, which is a line or cluster of three or more bites. This pattern often signifies that a bedbug has been disturbed while feeding, or it’s been searching for a larger blood vessel. When trying to confirm a bedbug infestation, consider the timing of the bites. Do they appear upon waking? Have you recently travelled internationally or domestically, or stayed in hotels with high turnovers of travelers? Have you recently bought used furniture or clothes from yard sales?
It’s worth noting that not everyone reacts to bedbug bites. In fact, a comprehensive study in the United States found that only 70% of those studied reported skin reactions. People over the age of 65 and children between 1 and 10 years had even lower reaction rates (58% and 59%, respectively).
Testing for Bedbug Bites
Identifying bedbug bites doesn’t have a standard test. If you’ve got an infestation at home and are seeing typical symptoms, you might suspect bedbug bites. But, without catching and identifying an actual bedbug, you can’t say for sure that it’s the source of the bite. Researchers have been trying to find ways to identify bedbug bites through laboratory testing, like Western blot testing. This would be useful, for example, if a traveler was bitten in a hotel and can’t catch a bedbug for proof. But these tests are costly and can only be done in select laboratories.
Treatment Options for Bedbug Bites
Reactions to bedbug bites will stop on their own once the person is no longer in contact with bedbugs. This could be because they’ve moved away from the infested area or because the bedbugs have been exterminated. However, if the bites cause itching that is hard to tolerate, treatment might be needed.
You can treat this itchiness with a variety of over-the-counter medications. Antihistamines taken by mouth and creams applied to the skin can often provide relief. If the bites caused a severe skin reaction, you might need a corticosteroid cream, which is a type of medication that reduces inflammation.
The antihistamines and creams don’t just reduce the itching – they also lower the chance of a bacterial infection or cellulitis, which can happen if you repeatedly scratch the bites. However, you should be careful when using steroid creams, especially if the bites have broken your skin and you might have an infection.
What else can Bedbug Bites be?
When a doctor is trying to identify if a patient has been bitten by bedbugs, they must rule out several other conditions first. These may include bites from fleas or mosquitoes, scabies (a skin infestation by mites), some types of skin infections, allergic reactions, miliaria (also known as heat rash), dermatitis herpetiformis (a sensitive skin condition related to gluten), and a mental health condition known as delusions of parasitosis where a person falsely believes they are infested with parasites. So, if someone comes to the doctor with an unexplained skin rash, bedbug bites could be a potential cause.
What to expect with Bedbug Bites
Generally, the outcome for bedbug bites is very good. There isn’t any strong evidence suggesting that either of the species, C. lectularius or C. hemipterus, carries any disease. Only on very rare occasions, bedbug bites have been linked to conditions like anemia or serious allergic reactions.
The most frequent after-effects of bedbug bites are bacterial infections, which happen if the bite is scratched. They can also lead to sleep disorders, such as difficulty in sleeping due to the itching, or due to stress of living in a home with bedbugs.
Possible Complications When Diagnosed with Bedbug Bites
Most people believe that bedbug bites don’t lead to serious problems because bedbugs don’t transmit diseases. However, studies have indicated that some people may have severe reactions to bedbug bites, such as bullous reactions, which are severe skin reactions that cause large blisters.
Preventing Bedbug Bites
To properly handle suspected bed bug bites, it’s important for people to learn how to look for bed bug nests, recognize what bed bugs look like, and know what products or extermination services can be used safely and efficiently. An important part of managing bed bug bite cases is preventing the bugs from returning to the home. To prevent this, families should be educated on steps to reduce risks, like avoiding second-hand furniture and checking hotel beds and luggage when coming back from trips.
