Insect Bites Differential Diagnoses

  • Author: Bo Burns, DO, FACEP, FAAEM; Chief Editor: Rick Kulkarni, MD   more...
 
Updated: Feb 14, 2011
 
 

Differential Diagnoses

Proceed to Workup
 
 
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Bo Burns, DO, FACEP, FAAEM  Assistant Professor, Associate Residency Director, Medical Clerkship Director, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine; Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine

Bo Burns, DO, FACEP, FAAEM, is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Kavon Charles Azadi, MD  Resident Physician, Oklahoma Institute for Disaster and Emergency Medicine, University of Oklahoma College of Community Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine

Kavon Charles Azadi, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, American Medical Student Association/Foundation, and Oklahoma State Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Robert M McNamara, MD, FAAEM  Chair and Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine

Robert M McNamara, MD, FAAEM is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American Medical Association, Pennsylvania Medical Society, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John T VanDeVoort, PharmD  Regional Director of Pharmacy, Sacred Heart and St Joseph's Hospitals

John T VanDeVoort, PharmD is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Gino A Farina, MD, FACEP, FAAEM  Associate Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Program Director, Department of Emergency Medicine, Long Island Jewish Medical Center

Gino A Farina, MD, FACEP, FAAEM is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John D Halamka, MD, MS  Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Rick Kulkarni, MD  Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Cambridge Health Alliance, Division of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Rick Kulkarni, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: WebMD Salary Employment

Additional Contributors

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous authors, Miguel C Fernandez, MD, and Nicolas F Arredondo, MD, to the development and writing of this article.

References

  1. Ewan PW. ABC of allergies. BMJ. 1998;316:1442,.

  2. Diaz JH. Recognizing and reducing the risks of Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis) in travelers. J Travel Med. May-Jun 2008;15(3):184-95. [Medline].

  3. Bronstein AC, Spyker DA, Cantilena LR Jr, Green JL, Rumack BH, Heard SE. 2007 Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers' National Poison Data System (NPDS): 25th Annual Report. Clin Toxicol (Phila). Dec 2008;46(10):927-1057. [Medline].

  4. Rodriguez M, Perez L, Caicedo JC, et al. Composition and biting activity of Anopheles (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Amazon region of Colombia. J Med Entomol. Mar 2009;46(2):307-15. [Medline].

  5. Anderson AL, Leffler K. Bedbug infestations in the news: a picture of an emerging public health problem in the United States. J Environ Health. May 2008;70(9):24-7, 52-3. [Medline].

  6. Stucki A, Ludwig R. Images in clinical medicine. Bedbug bites. N Engl J Med. Sep 4 2008;359(10):1047. [Medline].

  7. Goddard J, deShazo R. Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) and clinical consequences of their bites. JAMA. Apr 1 2009;301(13):1358-66. [Medline].

  8. Lane RP, Crosskey RW. Medical Insects and Arachnids. 1993. Chapman & Hall.

  9. [Guideline] Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters; American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology; American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology; Joint Council of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. The diagnosis and management of anaphylaxis: an updated practice parameter. J Allergy Clin Immunol. Mar 2005;115(3 Suppl 2):S483-523. [Medline].

  10. [Guideline] Hill DR, Ericsson CD, Pearson RD, Keystone JS, Freedman DO, Kozarsky PE, et al. The practice of travel medicine: guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Clin Infect Dis. Dec 15 2006;43(12):1499-539. [Medline].

  11. [Guideline] American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Consultation and referral guidelines citing the evidence: how the allergist-immunologist can help. J Allergy Clin Immunol. Feb 2006;117(2 Suppl Consultation):S495-523. [Medline].

  12. Voigt TF. [Mosquitoes. As carriers of infectious diseases they are increasingly important]. Med Monatsschr Pharm. Aug 2008;31(8):280-9. [Medline].

  13. Karunamoorthi K, Sabesan S. Field trials on the efficacy of DEET-impregnated anklets, wristbands, shoulder, and pocket strips against mosquito vectors of disease. Parasitol Res. Sep 2009;105(3):641-5. [Medline].

  14. Asada H, Miyagawa S, Sumikawa Y, et al. CD4+ T-lymphocyte-induced Epstein-Barr virus reactivation in a patient with severe hypersensitivity to mosquito bites and Epstein-Barr virus-infected NK cell lymphocytosis. Arch Dermatol. Dec 2003;139(12):1601-7. [Medline].

  15. Auerbach PS, ed. Wilderness Medicine. 4th ed. 2001.

  16. Blum J, Beck BR, Brun R, Hatz Ch. Clinical and serologic responses to human 'apathogenic' trypanosomes. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. Oct 2005;99(10):795-7. [Medline].

  17. Busvine JR. Disease Transmission by Insects: Its Discovery and 90 Years of Effort to Prevent it. Springer Verlag; 1993:11-74.

  18. Clark RF, Schneir AB. Tintinalli JE, Kelen GD, Stapczynski JS, Ma OJ, Cline DM, eds. Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide. 6th ed.

  19. Davis CL. Insects, allergy and disease. In: Allergic and Toxic Responses to Arthropods. 1979:300-9.

  20. Edwards L, Lynch PJ. Anaphylactic reaction to kissing bug bites. Ariz Med. Mar 1984;41(3):159-61. [Medline].

  21. Erbilen E, Gulcan E, Albayrak S, Ozveren O. Acute myocardial infarction due to a bee sting manifested with ST wave elevation after hospital admission. South Med J. Apr 2008;101(4):448. [Medline].

  22. Garcia LS, Bruckner DA. Diagnostic Medical Parasitology. 3rd ed. Amer Society for Microbiology; 1997.

  23. Goddard J. Physician's Guide to Arthropods of Medical Importance. CRC Press; 1996.

  24. Hoffman DR. Allergic reactions to biting insects. In: Levine MI, Lockey RF, eds. Monograph on Insect Allergy. 1981:69-74.

  25. Khamaysi Z, Dodiuk-Gad RP, Weltfriend S, et al. Insect bite-like reaction associated with mantle cell lymphoma: clinicopathological, immunopathological, and molecular studies. Am J Dermatopathol. Aug 2005;27(4):290-5. [Medline].

  26. Krause RS. Immune system disorders, hypersensitivity. In: Aghababian R, ed. Emergency Medicine: The Core Curriculum. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Publishers; 1998:417-22.

  27. Lynch PJ, Pinnas JL. "Kissing bug" bites. Triatoma species as an important cause of insect bites in the southwest. Cutis. Nov 1978;22(5):585-91. [Medline].

  28. Mieller UR. Insect Sting Allergy: Clinical Picture, Diagnosis, and Treatment. Gustav Fischer; 1990:144-7.

  29. Moffitt JE, Yates AB, Stafford CT. Allergy to insect stings. A need for improved preventive management. Postgrad Med. Jun 1993;93(8):197-9, 203-4, 207-8. [Medline].

  30. Nhachi CF, Kasilo OM. Poisoning due to insect and scorpion stings/bites. Hum Exp Toxicol. Mar 1993;12(2):123-5. [Medline].

  31. Shai A, Halevy S. Direct triggers for ulceration in patients with venous insufficiency. Int J Dermatol. Dec 2005;44(12):1006-9. [Medline].

  32. Soylu A, Kavukcu S, Erdur B, Demir K, Turkmen MA. Multisystemic leukocytoclastic vasculitis affecting the central nervous system. Pediatr Neurol. Oct 2005;33(4):289-91. [Medline].

  33. Ter Poorten MC, Prose NS. The return of the common bedbug. Pediatr Dermatol. 2005;22(3):183-7.

  34. Tokura Y, Ishihara S, Tagawa S, Seo N, Ohshima K, Takigawa M. Hypersensitivity to mosquito bites as the primary clinical manifestation of a juvenile type of Epstein-Barr virus-associated natural killer cell leukemia/lymphoma. J Am Acad Dermatol. Oct 2001;45(4):569-78. [Medline].

 
Previous
Next
 
Insect Bites. Yellowjacket wasp. Image courtesy of CDC.
Insect Bites. Anopheles albimanus mosquito feeding on human host. Image courtesy of CDC.
Insect Bites. A bedbug, Cimex lectularius, feeding on human blood. The bedbug's name comes from its preferred habitat, including mattresses, sofas, and other furniture. Image courtesy of CDC.
Insect Bites. Louse, Pediculus humanus, dorsal view after feeding on blood. Most lice are scavengers, feeding on skin and other debris found on the host's body, but some species feed on sebaceous secretions and blood. Image courtesy of CDC.
 
 
 
All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2012 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

DISCLAIMER: The content of this Website is not influenced by sponsors. The site is designed primarily for use by qualified physicians and other medical professionals. The information contained herein should NOT be used as a substitute for the advice of an appropriately qualified and licensed physician or other health care provider. The information provided here is for educational and informational purposes only. In no way should it be considered as offering medical advice. Please check with a physician if you suspect you are ill.