Presentation
Bed bugs live in any articles of furniture, clothing, or bedding, so they or their eggs may be present in used furniture or clothing. [medicinenet.com]
Finding no insects identified as bed bugs does not mean that bed bugs are not present. It can mean that the inspection was inadequate, or that bed bugs are present but so few in number that the inspector missed them. [dph.illinois.gov]
If you are seeing these spots it may be an indicator of bed bug activity or a potential for Bed Bugs being present. As well discarded nymph casings and dark blackish fecal matter may also be present. [winnipeg.ca]
Countless adults and nymphs present (Adults walking on walls, clustered in cracks on walls, stained curtains, etc. [colonialpest.com]
When only a few bed bugs are present, they live close to human sleeping areas; when numerous, they can be found in many rooms of the house. A characteristic “bed bug odor” is frequently present in a home infested with bed bugs. Image 1. [ento.psu.edu]
Entire Body System
- Swelling
They can be very itchy and there may be painful swelling. A severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) is also possible but rare. How you can treat bedbug bites Bedbug bites usually clear up on their own in a week or so. [nhs.uk]
Sensitivity to bed bug bites varies; some people may show only a small red bump, while bites in others can cause swelling, inflammation or rash. Bed bugs are not known to transmit diseases to humans. [msdh.ms.gov]
Once they eat they turn dark red and swell in size. Nymphs are shaped like adults but are yellowish white in color. Bed bug eggs are white (about 1 mm long) and pear shaped. The eggs have a sticky coating and are deposited in cracks and crevices. [novascotia.ca]
If you scratch the bite, you may cause a secondary infection that can lead to swelling and bleeding. [healthline.com]
Small, flat, or raised bumps on the skin are the most common sign; redness, swelling, and itching commonly occur. Raised bumps on the skin Blisters on the skin A spreading red rash There are no symptoms and signs associated with bed bug bites. [medicinenet.com]
- Pallor
It was also stated that chronic bed bug infestations can cause “nervousness, lethargy, pallor and diarrhea” ( 287 ); however, it is not clear if these symptoms are due to the bed bug bites or the mental trauma associated with having an infestation. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Respiratoric
- Dyspnea
Chronic-phase symptoms and signs of Chagas disease may be irregular heartbeats, EKG changes, palpitations, fainting ( syncope ), cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, shortness of breath (dyspnea), emphysema, stroke, sudden death, chronic abdominal [medicinenet.com]
Gastrointestinal
- Diarrhea
Since last June I've had diarrhea, elevated blood pressure, night sweats and blood in my urine ( hematuria ). [medicinenet.com]
It was also stated that chronic bed bug infestations can cause “nervousness, lethargy, pallor and diarrhea” ( 287 ); however, it is not clear if these symptoms are due to the bed bug bites or the mental trauma associated with having an infestation. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
- Abdominal Pain
These changes can result in weakness, difficulty swallowing, abdominal pain, and death. Other organs may also malfunction (ureters, bile duct, for example). What research is being done for Chagas disease? Research is progressing on Chagas disease. [medicinenet.com]
Skin
- Flushing
Steam cleaning should be done before vacuuming, as the steam will flush any bedbugs out of hiding. Heat treatments should be done by professionals. [ccohs.ca]
Use an Insecticide Aerosol such as CB-80 or PT 565 to flush the bed bugs out of suspected hiding places. [doyourownpestcontrol.com]
- Pruritus
CASE REPORT A man in his 90s came to the hospital for evaluation of diffuse pruritus that had been present for the past two weeks. [scielo.br]
A man in his 90s came to the hospital complaining of generalized pruritus. Despite being a dependent patient, he was left alone in a home by his relatives during the pandemic. [unboundmedicine.com]
However, they can have varying morphologies, most people do not react at all and many do not experience pruritus. [casereports.bmj.com]
Due to the strong pruritus eczematous lesions, bacterial infections may occur, although this is extremely rare. There are case reports of systemic reactions such as anaphylaxis and asthma, although these are uncommon. [bjmp.org]
- Erythema
Other possible diagnostic confounders can be various allergic reactions and other medical conditions such as urticaria, chickenpox, prurigo subacuta, and erythema multiforme. 7,8 These do not show a central haemorrhagic point in the lesion which allows [bjmp.org]
[Case Reports] Hautarzt. 2013 Mar; 64(3):187-9.Arayesh A, Wieczorek D, … Raap U H A 27-year-old woman presented with severe pruritus for a few weeks and diffuse urticarial erythema with pinhead-sized papules over the entire body. [unboundmedicine.com]
Five of six pediatric patients had small solid bumps on the upper eyelid associated with erythema (redness) and edema (swelling caused by fluid in body tissues). 2013 Bernardeschi, C., L. Le Cleach, P. Delaunay, and O. Chosidow. 2013. [u.osu.edu]
Pseudopodium-like extensions of erythema around the periphery have also been noted ( 70 ), which may correspond to livedo-like patterns. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
- Pruritic Rash
Most people fed upon by bed bugs will develop a pruritic rash although the frequency with which this occurs is not definitively known and may depend on host factors including the duration of the infestation. [unboundmedicine.com]
Neurologic
- Seizure
[…] sleeping sickness) American trypanosomiasis African trypanosomiasis Cause T. cruzi T. brucei (subspecies) Main vector Triatomine bugs (also termed kissing bugs) Tsetse fly Main symptoms Chagomas, heart, gastrointestinal Chancres, nighttime insomnia, seizures [medicinenet.com]
- Stroke
Chronic-phase symptoms and signs of Chagas disease may be irregular heartbeats, EKG changes, palpitations, fainting ( syncope ), cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, shortness of breath (dyspnea), emphysema, stroke, sudden death, chronic abdominal [medicinenet.com]
Workup
Peripheral smear, blood count and vasculitis workup from 1 month prior (when the patient saw his primary-care and advanced-care provider) were all negative except for equivocal hepatitis (IgM) and positive hepatitis (A IgG). [casereports.bmj.com]
Microbiology
- Bartonella Quintana
Bed bugs are competent vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi ( 13, 14 ) and Bartonella quintana ( 15 ), the etiological agents of Chagas disease and trench fever, respectively. [pnas.org]
Treatment
In some cases chemical treatments are used when there is not a bed bug problem. [bouldercounty.org]
Please see your health care provider concerning appropriate care, treatment or other medical advice. What are bed bugs? (photo courtesy CDC) Bed bugs are small, flat, brown insects less than ¼ inch long, about the size of an apple seed. [doh.sd.gov]
They perform careful inspections along with non-chemical controls (heat treatments, vacuuming and steam treatments) and insecticide treatments. The insecticides used are commercial products requiring special equipment and training. [extension.umn.edu]
Prepare your home before pest control treatment Review the 3 steps below to help prepare for treatment. [hamilton.ca]
Heat treatment is labor intensive and requires special equipment. [dph.illinois.gov]
Prognosis
What Is the Prognosis for Bedbug Bites? The prognosis for bedbug bites is excellent. [emedicinehealth.com]
What is the prognosis for Chagas disease? In general, the prognosis for people who do not develop the chronic phase of Chagas disease is usually good. [medicinenet.com]
Etiology
Symptomatic treatment is any medical therapy of a disease that only affects its symptoms, not its cause, i.e., its etiology. [en.wikipedia.org]
Bed bugs are competent vectors of Trypanosoma cruzi ( 13, 14 ) and Bartonella quintana ( 15 ), the etiological agents of Chagas disease and trench fever, respectively. [pnas.org]
Within the insect order Hemiptera, to which bed bugs belong, the triatomine bugs from the family Reduviidae are known to transmit Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas' disease ( 169 ). [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Epidemiology
Zprávy epidemiológie a mikrobiológie (Epidemiology and microbiology news) 2009; 18: 17–18 [in Czech]. 29. Jírovec O, Jíra J. Parasitologie pro lékaře. Praha, Avicenum; 1977 [in Czech]. 30. Thomas S, Wrobel MJ, Brown J. [aaem.pl]
Epidemiology In the past, bed bugs were particularly an affliction of the poor. [bjmp.org]
Chagas was the first scientist to discover all aspects of a new infectious disease: its pathogen ( T. cruzi ), main insect vector ( Triatominae, Triatoma genus, or kissing bugs), hosts (humans, mammals), clinical manifestations, and epidemiology. [medicinenet.com]
The epidemiological link between bed bugs and HBV in these cases is by inference only. Following the initial epidemiological investigation in the Gambia, an intervention program to manage the bed bugs was implemented ( 199 ). [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
Prevention
Related Links Cornell University Bed Bug Fact Sheet Guidelines for Prevention and Management of Bed Bugs in Shelters and Group Living Facilities Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Illinois Department of Public Health Nebraska Extension U.S. [doh.sd.gov]
Knowing what bed bugs look like, and knowing the signs of a bed bug infestation, is very important to prevent bed bug infestations. [ccchd.com]
In your apartment, seal cracks and crevices around plumbing and wiring, this will help prevent bed bugs entering from neighboring apartments. [msdh.ms.gov]
Preventing & Getting Rid of Bed Bugs Safely Bed Bug Brochure English Spanish The brochure above provides all the information needed to prevent and get rid of bed bugs, including: Trapping and killing Cleaning and disinfecting Sealing cracks and crevices [bouldercounty.org]