Allergy to insect bites. Types of allergic reactions. Moderate and severe allergies. What to do if you are bitten by insects?

Reactions to insect bites are painful conditions that develop due to the body's sensitivity to components of the poison or saliva that enter the body during bites. They can be allergic and toxic and in some cases can cause death. Every 10th inhabitant of our planet suffers from allergies to insect bites; Particularly dangerous in this regard is the venom of hymenoptera insects, which can initiate the development of anaphylaxis and lead to death.

The Allergology Department of CELT offers treatment for a child’s or adult’s reaction to insect bites in Moscow. Our multidisciplinary clinic employs leading domestic specialists who have modern diagnostic and treatment facilities and practice modern methods for eliminating allergic and toxic reactions. You can make an appointment with them online or by contacting our operators: +7 (495) 788-33-88

At CELT you can get advice from an allergist.

• Initial consultation – 3,500
• Repeated consultation – 2,300

Make an appointment

Etiology of reactions to insect bites

Allergic and toxic reactions are caused directly by bites and other effects of various insects. Hymenoptera pierce the skin with a sting and release poison into the resulting wound, to which the body can react accordingly. So, bites:

• mosquitoes are accompanied by itching and an allergic reaction with swelling, rash, and sometimes fever;
• fleas cause dematoses, increased body temperature, and a rash similar to hives;
• bedbugs provoke various reactions, ranging from ordinary itching to anaphylactic shock;
• mosquitoes cause the formation of itchy papules, burning skin, nausea, vomiting, secondary rashes;
• Horseflies cause local swelling, redness, the appearance of tumors, swelling of the lymph nodes;
• midges lead to the formation of papules, swelling, development of hyperemia and tachycardia.

Fly bite: local symptoms and physiological changes

The body's reaction to a fly bite occurs due to mechanical damage to the skin and the toxic effect of saliva, and symptoms may be local in nature or reflected in changes in the general condition of the body. Farm animals suffer from attacks of blood-sucking parasites much more than humans.

A small pinpoint wound and a red bump around it are the main external manifestations of a fly attack. After an attack by a large number of insects, the body may be covered with many bites located at some distance from each other. The following symptoms indicate complications:

• redness and swelling increase;
• children may develop hives;
• suppuration has formed near the wound due to the penetration of a secondary infection;
• The elevated body temperature does not subside for several days, general weakness and sleep disturbance are observed.

In animals, after multiple and regular fly bites, the volume of milk yield, meat gain, and the quality of wool deteriorate significantly. Scratches, ulcers and other damage that require treatment appear on the skin.

Types of reactions to insect bites

As already mentioned, there are allergic and toxic reactions that develop as a result of Hymenoptera bites.

Prevention on the street

While the child is small, it is easy to cover him with a mosquito cover right in the stroller. In some cases, it is convenient to use protective clothing or tents with mosquito nets. In all other situations, repellents become almost the only protective measure. Modern repellents typically use one of these two main active ingredients - DEET or picaridin.

DEET (diethyltoluamide) is the most commonly used broad-spectrum ingredient that is effective against mosquitoes, biting flies, fleas and ticks. In most cases, a repellent containing up to 10% DEET will prevent mosquito bites. In areas at high risk of insect-borne infections (where malaria, Ross River virus, Barmah Forest virus and Dengue fever occur), repellents with a DEET concentration of 15–30% should be used.

DEET can be safely applied to cotton, wool and nylon, but can damage spandex, rayon, acetate and leather clothing. DEET can dissolve plastics and vinyl (such as sunglass frames or watch bands).

Picaridin is a new repellent ingredient that is odorless and less sticky than DEET. May be more pleasant to use, does not dissolve plastic. Studies have shown that picaridin is as effective as DEET; however, its protection is less long-lasting and it will need to be applied more frequently. Products containing 10% picaridin will prevent insect bites in most situations.

Safety of using repellents in children

Before use, read the label, assess the level of DEET or picaridin in the product, and use the repellent only as directed by the manufacturer.

Follow simple rules:

• Choose roll-on medications over aerosols if you have a choice.
• Apply a moderate amount of the drug to exposed skin.
• Do not apply the drug to cuts, wounds or irritated skin.
• Do not apply to areas around the eyes or mouth (in case of accidental contact with eyes, rinse immediately with plenty of water!).
• Do not apply to the palms or fingers of small children.
• When you return home, wash the repellent off your skin with soap and water.
• Keep repellents out of the reach of children.
• If you need to apply both sunscreen and repellent, apply the sunscreen first. Products that combine sunscreen and repellent are not recommended by experts, as sunscreen usually needs to be reapplied, but repellent does not.

Physical methods of protection

Mosquitoes are attracted to dark colors, so you should wear light-colored clothing that covers your wrists and ankles to reduce the likelihood of being bitten. If you are planning to travel to high-risk areas, it is recommended that you obtain medical advice before traveling; you may need additional vaccinations against infections and/or drugs to prevent malaria.

Stagnant water attracts mosquitoes, so stay away from dams, ponds, swamps and other areas with standing water.

To prevent mosquitoes from breeding near your home:

• Cover all water containers (including swimming pools) to prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs there.
• Empty all water containers when not in use.
• Change the water in used containers at least once a week.
• Cover cesspools and septic tanks to prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs in them.
• Remove excess vegetation from garden ponds and stock the ponds with fish.
• Avoid overwatering your garden.

Symptoms of a reaction to insect bites

Experts distinguish three types of reactions to Hymenoptera bites:

• Common – the affected area is swollen, red, itchy and painful;
• Large local – tumor diameter exceeds 50 mm;
• Systemic - reactions occur not only in the area of ​​the bite, but also in parts of the body remote from it.

A local reaction on the skin can last from two to three hours to several days, and maybe up to 24 months. In this case, it is important to differentiate the reaction to a bite from a neoplasm of a benign or malignant nature. It is worth noting that the symptoms of reactions are very diverse and range from minor pain to anaphylactic shock. As for local reactions, the picture is similar here too: from a small papule to swelling of the affected arm or leg.

Prevention at home

The basis for protection against midges in the house are mosquito nets and fumigators. Attention! Remember that a mosquito net increases the risk of a child falling from a window, as it creates the illusion of a barrier - use window blockers.

Fumigators can work on plates or liquid, slowly spraying a substance toxic to insects around them. The substance most often used in fumigators is ethok (also known as prallethrin).

A common question for pediatricians is “my child found and chewed a fumigator plate, what does this mean for him?” The fumigator plate contains about 9 mg of prallethrin. The oral toxic dose of prallethrin for humans is 600 mg/kg (LD50). Thus, neither eating these plates nor inhaling fumes from a fumigator can usually cause serious harm to a child, but getting repellents and chemicals for fumigators into the mouth and mucous membranes should still be avoided.

You can read more about the use of repellents and fumigators on the Rospotrebnadzor website.

Diagnosis of reactions to insect bites

The main task of an allergist who makes a diagnosis is to conduct a full medical history, which will allow you to establish the following:

• Previously noted reactions to insect bites;
• The presence of a bite by Hymenoptera;
• What kind of insect bit the patient?

In addition, an examination is carried out, as well as additional diagnostic studies aimed at identifying reactions in the form of disruption of systems and internal organs. They may be as follows:

• Ultrasound scanning of the peritoneal organs;
• Electrocardiography;
• Allergy tests.

Characteristic symptoms

Culicidosis (allergy to mosquito bites) – more common in children

Most often, at the moment of a bite or immediately after it, a person feels pain in the form of a sharp or burning pain, then a characteristic papule and hyperemia forms on the skin, indicating penetration of a toxin, saliva or foreign protein under the skin. Such a clinic is normal, because this is the response of the human immune system to the entry of foreign particles into the internal environment.

If the insect was not noticed at the time of the bite, then the type of parasite can be determined by the nature of the manifestations:

• small papules, mild swelling, itching and local redness are most likely bites of blood-sucking parasites: midges, mosquitoes, fleas, bedbugs and others;
• if a rather large swelling forms on the skin, with slight hyperemia and a red dot at the puncture site, then in this case the cause is most likely a stinging hymenoptera;
• swelling, severe itching, bite marks in the form of a chain or track are signs of a bedbug attack.

Each case has its own distinctive symptoms that characterize a stinging or biting insect, which is very well described in the video in this article. The table identifies the main parasites that often bother humans.

Table. Symptoms of non-venomous insect bites:

Important. You should not scratch itchy bites, as this will prolong or even increase the discomfort, but at the same time, through mechanical damage to the skin, an infection can be introduced into the wound.

When a wasp stings, there is no sting left in the body

If there is a tick in the skin, it must be removed correctly. It is important to ensure that no elements of the proboscis remain in the skin, because in this case the process of rotting will begin.

There are several ways to remove an insect from the skin:

• lubricate with soap or oil, which will make it difficult for the tick to breathe and it will fall off on its own;
• unscrew it by rotating counterclockwise using a match or the eye of a needle;
• if the previous methods are not effective, then the individual is removed from the body using tweezers, squeezing the proboscis as close to the human skin as possible.

Our doctors

Shundeva Oksana Veniaminovna

Allergist, doctor of the highest category

Experience 39 years

Make an appointment

Orlova Tatyana Vladimirovna

Doctor - allergist-immunologist, pulmonologist, doctor of the highest category

Experience 38 years

Make an appointment

First aid

If the negative symptoms are severe, the victim should immediately call an ambulance. Before the doctors arrive, you need to do the following:

• thoroughly rinse the bite area with running water and laundry soap;
• apply an anti-inflammatory drug to the skin;
• avoid scratching the bite;
• minimize swelling by applying cold to the damaged area;
• treat the bitten area with an antihistamine (Fenistil, etc.);
• Give the victim antihistamines (for example, Suprastin).

Most often, complications can be prevented. However, if you have an allergic reaction, you cannot do without medical help.

If a tick is found under the skin, you should immediately contact a surgeon so that he can remove the parasite in the most effective and safe way. If you cannot see a doctor, you will have to perform the procedure yourself. For this purpose, you need to use small forceps.

The affected area should be treated with a good antiseptic: iodine, chlorhexidine, alcohol or hydrogen peroxide.

The insect removed from the skin must be placed in an airtight glass container. It must be taken to the laboratory for testing within 2-3 days.

If the victim experiences anaphylactic reactions, the following should be done:

1. First you need to call an ambulance.
2. The victim needs to take a horizontal position and slightly raise his lower limbs.
3. After this, you need to apply something cold to the affected area of ​​the skin.
4. If the victim loses consciousness, his respiratory function must be carefully monitored. When it stops, emergency resuscitation measures should be carried out (artificial respiration, cardiac massage, etc.).
5. If the victim is in a conscious state, he needs to be given antihistamine medications (Tavegil, Suprastin, etc.). Additionally, an injection of Epinephrine should be given in a dosage of 0.1 to 0.3 ml.
6. In case of severe pain, you need to take painkillers.

The visiting medical specialists need to tell you as much as possible about what happened. After this, the victim is taken to the hospital and undergoes a thorough diagnosis to identify the cause of the condition and select the optimal method of therapy.

What is forbidden to do after a bite

After a bite, do not scratch the affected area or expose it to prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. In addition, the damaged area must be protected from contact with chemicals and aggressive influences.

When bitten by ticks, it is forbidden to use improvised devices for extracting the parasite (pins, tweezers, etc.), because the head of the insect can remain in the epidermis and provoke a severe inflammatory process and additional complications.

Experts also do not recommend burning ticks, because such manipulation will force the parasite to go deeper into the epidermal layers. You shouldn’t crush an insect either, because pathogenic microorganisms that may be present in it will enter the bloodstream and provoke the development of an infectious disease.

Bitten areas should not be treated with fatty substances (oil, kerosene, etc.), because they can lead to the fact that the tick does not have time to get out and remains in a dead state in the skin.

In addition, when bitten, the victim should not be left alone, and the sting remaining in the skin should not be squeezed while removing it.

Treatment with tablets

Not in all cases, medications in the form of ointments and gels show high effectiveness in eliminating the negative consequences of bee, wasp and other insect bites.

To increase their medicinal effect, you can additionally use oral medications (Benadryl, Diphenhydramine, etc.). In addition, in case of severe inflammation, it is necessary to additionally use antimicrobial medications in tablet form. Severe manifestations require injections of the drug Epinephrine.