Unknown Bug Bites

[chrissimone]

HI,

I stayed at ko chang a week ago for 2 nights, and in the taxi on the way back to bangkok I had 3 bumps on my left arm that itched. They looked and felt like mosquito bites, but lasted much longer, can still see them. 36 hours later got about 3 more on the same arm. 36 hours later I got about 3 more on my left arm, and now about 36 hours after I have about 3 more.

I have seen scabies on my daughter, doesnt seem the same, bites are in small groups, but not straight lines.

I stayed in 4 different beds now, and am in usa now, so dont think it is bed bugs,

I havent, seen mosquitos or fleas, and I believe I would know if they were the cause, bumps seem to appear in the afternoon.

Any ideas?

Thanks, Chris.

[phaethon]

Maybe sandfly or blackfly bites. I had the former in Hawaii and they take forever to quit itching. Some locals say rubbing them with vinegar (don't scratch them and break the skin, even without the vinegar, as the scars will stay forever). Others say Tiger Balm woks and all sorts of topical anti-histamines. Just have to put up with them and try not to scratch. Taking anti-histamines before travelling to a sandfly area doesn't prevent bites but is said to reduce reactions.

[chrissimone]

Thanks for the reply,I live in hawaii now, but, dont spend much time on the beach. maybe it is sand flea type things,but, just had 3 bites show up in a new spot, and havent been to a beach in a week, I just hope theres nothing living with me,

Thanks, Chris.

[phaethon]

You said your were on your way back from Ko Chang... that's why I thought sand flies. My bites in Hawaii were received in the observation pit for the hyenas in Honolulu Zoo, not that near the beach.

[tim armstrong]

HI,

I stayed at ko chang a week ago for 2 nights, and in the taxi on the way back to bangkok I had 3 bumps on my left arm that itched. They looked and felt like mosquito bites, but lasted much longer, can still see them. 36 hours later got about 3 more on the same arm. 36 hours later I got about 3 more on my left arm, and now about 36 hours after I have about 3 more.

I have seen scabies on my daughter, doesnt seem the same, bites are in small groups, but not straight lines.

I stayed in 4 different beds now, and am in usa now, so dont think it is bed bugs,

I havent, seen mosquitos or fleas, and I believe I would know if they were the cause, bumps seem to appear in the afternoon.

Any ideas?

Thanks, Chris.

Sounds weird. I always try to look for the less exotic explanation first. Like ringworm? But it also sounds a bit like a parasite living under the skin. I'd go to a GP that knows about tropical diseases, and get them to run a few tests. Also check out allergies or any changes in diet , washing powder, etc. If its a rash, maybe its early stages of chicken pox. Do you have other symptoms like - fever, aches and pains, etc. Best advice -go to a Dr.

[chrissimone]

Yea, I guess I better see a dr, just hard to see 1 here, last time I tried it was a 2 week waiting period.

been reading about bed bugs, and that they sometimes have a delay between the bite time and the time the bump appears.

anyways, I guess the dr. for me, Thanks, Chris.

[jaideeguy]

In most observed cases, bites consist of a raised red bump or flat welt, and are often accompanied by intense itching. The red bump or welts are the result of an allergic reaction to the anesthetic contained in the bedbug's saliva, which is inserted into the blood of its victim. Bedbug bites may appear indistinguishable from mosquito bites, though they tend to last for longer periods. Bites may not become immediately visible, and can take up to nine days to appear. Bedbug bites tend to not have a red dot in the center such as is characteristic of flea bites. A trait shared with flea bites, however, is tendency towards arrangements of sequential bites. Bites are often aligned three in a row, giving rise to the colloquialism "breakfast, lunch and dinner." This may be caused by the bedbug being disturbed while eating, and relocating half an inch or so farther along the skin before resuming feeding. Alternatively, the arrangement of bites may be caused by the bedbug repeatedly searching for a blood vein. People react very differently to bedbugs, and individual responses vary with factors including skin type, environment, and the species of bug. In some rare cases, allergic reactions to the bites may cause nausea and illness. In a large number of cases, estimated to 50% of all people, there is no visible sign of bites whatsoever, greatly increasing the difficulty of identifying and eradicating infestations.

People commonly respond to bed bug infestations and their bites with anxiety, stress, and insomnia.[6] Individuals may also get skin infections and scars from scratching the bedbug bite locations.

Most patients who are placed on systemic corticosteroids to treat the itching and burning often associated with bed bug bites find that the lesions are poorly responsive to this method of treatment. Antihistamines have been found to reduce itching in some cases, but they do not affect the appearance and duration of the lesions. Topical corticosteroids, such as hydrocortisone, have been reported to expediently resolve the lesions and decrease the associated itching.[7]

Many patients also experience temporary relief of itching and inflammation with the application of hot water to the bite.[8] The water should be quite hot (about 50 °C / 120 °F) because if it is not hot enough it may cause aggravation of the symptoms. The water should be hot enough to cause minor discomfort, but care must be taken not to burn the skin and this treatment should only be self-administered in order to reduce the risk of a burn. Itching and inflammation can be relieved for several hours by applying hot running water, a hot washcloth, or even using a blowdryer to heat the area of the bite, for 10 seconds to 1 minute (or longer if desired). There is disagreement as to why heat causes the symptoms to abate. Some hypotheses propose that heat overwhelms the nerve endings that signal itch, that heat neutralizes the chemical that causes the inflammation, or that heat triggers a large release of histamine causing a temporary histamine deficit in the area.

[BigSnake]

Ouch!! there are many creams over the counter that will help with the itchy, Lymarin Cream works for me. Also it might not be a bad idea to get it checked out at your local doctor office, Doctor fees about 50 baht plus any medicine.

[chrissimone]

ok,thanks all, for the replies,

bumps are still visable, but getting smaller,and barely itch now.

They are in groups of 2-3, Its been about 2 weeks.

The good news is, no new bites, I was afraid I bought some back, my baggage got wet on the way to the hotel, and I spread it out all over the room to dry it out, gues no hitchhikers.

Thanks again, Chris.

[Sheryl]

topical hydrocortison (available uin US OTC) should give relief and speed up resolution.

if you had been in the ocean swimming, this could be what are referred to as "sea lice"

[lincsong]

My family lives on Koh Tao. We have been experiencing some kind of bite, which resembles a mosquito bite, but has a very sharp pain and itch, as if there were a piece of glass, or stinger left in the bite. The bite lasts for weeks or even months, itching the whole time, and leaves scars, especially on my dark skinned girlfriend. My Burmese friend said it was from the shower water, but I can see nothing in it, and have treated the water with alum, but still get new bites. We have found an occasional little bug in our beds, that resembles an ant, but with an extra body segment, so it is NOT an ant, sort of earwig like, but NOT an earwig... I think this could be the culprit, but not sure. Any ideas on exactly what is causing this, and perhaps what to do to avoid and/or treat a bite is greatly appreciated! Lincoln

[lincsong]

Rove Beetle!!! Hello my family and I have been bitten (touched) by a bug in Thailand which matches the description of your bites... I found a great website with pictures of what could be the culprit.

Check out http://docfiles.blogspot.com/2007/06/paede...dermatitis.html

More people need to know about this little devil, spread the word!