Bed bugs can cause skin problems

Four students who were boarders from the same hostel complained of skin rashes and severe itching on their backs.They were treated for two weeks with the advice that they should be observant as to know what could be causing the skin reactions. 

They were also told to change their beddings and report back to the hospital two times in a week. One of the students told the doctor that he saw two bed bugs under his bed cover .This ultimately solved the puzzle of what caused the skin reactions. It was a clear case of bed bug dermatitis.

Bed bugs are tiny insects that feed on human blood. They hide in dark places close to where humans sleep and usually crawl out to feed while people are fast asleep. They can be a problem in the cleanest of homes.

These insects need only human blood to survive and it is easy to bring them into your home. They can crawl into luggage, clothing, even furniture, unnoticed. Once inside the home, they will find a hiding place in mattresses, couch and tiny cracks or crevices in the wall.

Having bed bugs in the home can cause a great deal of anxiety and restless nights.

They feed on the host when he or she is fast asleep, generally just before dawn. The parasites are attracted to warmth, which is why they bite when sleeping. They will usually not be seen during the daylight hours unless the infestation is severe. This bug will secure itself to the host’s skin by piercing the skin, injecting saliva that contains anaesthetics and anti-coagulants into the host, which often makes their bites painless initially. After feeding on the host’s blood for several minutes, bedbugs will crawl back to their hiding place. This saliva is what causes the itching sensation on the human’s skin.

Signs

Having bite marks on the body is the most common sign of bed bugs. Most people are bitten while they sleep and do not know that they have been bitten until the next day. This is because bed bug bite is painless compared to mosquito bite which is painful.

Some people develop itchy swellings within a few days of the first bite, but it can take as long as 14 days before the bites itch. Most people tend to become increasingly sensitive to bed bug bites. If one has a bed bug infestation and the bugs bite repeatedly, it may develop itchy swelling within seconds. Bed bugs are not visible on the body like lice and the mites that cause scabies, bed bugs come out of hiding to feed on human blood.

It is possible to develop a serious or even life-threatening reaction to bed bug bites. These reactions include breathing difficulty, irregular or forceful heartbeat, swollen tongue, blisters, especially large blisters; fever, nausea and skin infection from scratching.

Serious reactions require immediate medical care. Some individuals may develop insomnia and anxiety from serious or repeated bed bug infestations.

Treatment

Medical treatment is usually aimed at relieving the symptoms and discomfort caused by the bites.

1. Wash affected area with soap and water
2. Consider a steroidal anti-inflammatory cream or calamine lotion.
3. Take an oral antihistamine or pain relief medication if needed.
4. See your doctor if the bites become infected or do not clear up within one week or two weeks.

Affected individuals may feel and see the consequences of the bed bug bite afterward, although many individuals may not develop any physical signs. Bed bugs do not transmit or spread malaria or any severe human disease.

Prevention

Place the legs of bed frames into containers containing paraffin oil or water to prevent bedbugs from gaining access to the bed, and tuck in sheets and blankets so they do not contact the floor. Wear pyjamas that cover as much skin as possible to limit bedbug bites. Vacuum, heat and steam exposure to intense sunlight of furniture and beddings may be effective against infestations.

Place infested bedding or garments in clothes dryer for 10-20 minutes, using medium to high heat and items can be laundered using hot water measuring at least 120 F. Encase the mattress and box spring in a special impermeable mattress cover. Sometimes it may be necessary to discard infested mattresses and furniture.

PS:  July 28th of every year has been designated the World Hepatitis day. Studies done in the country shows that one to two people out of 10 are infected with Hepatitis B virus. In order to educate and curb the scourge of the disease, a new interactive Facebook page tagged, ‘HEPATITIS B ALERT GROUP’ was born. The page is open to all who may be interested in contributing to the reduction of the scourge of hepatitis B infection to join.