In North America, there are very few types of insects that carry venom or poison, and none whose venom is dangerous. However, it is possible for an insect bite or sting to cause an allergic reaction that can range from a mild local reaction to something like a severe asthma attack. In extreme allergic reactions, your airways can close up and you can even stop breathing.
Many severe allergic reactions are caused by insects such as wasps. Considering both multiple stings and allergic reactions to single stings, insects are actually more likely to harm or even kill (in rare cases) North Americans than snakes do.
Stinging insects:
All 3 have different kinds of venom, but none is likely to be dangerous in small doses unless someone is allergic to the venom.
Biting and bloodsucking insects:
None of them are actually venomous, but some have saliva that can irritate or provoke a reaction, and others can introduce infections when they bite.
Examples of infections and reactions include the following:
West Nile virus is passed on by the bite of mosquitoes that have become infected by feeding on the blood of infected birds. The first confirmed Canadian human case of West Nile virus was reported in Ontario in September 2002. Although the risk of illness from West Nile virus is low for most Canadians (about 1 in 5 infected people develop symptoms), it is important to recognize the symptoms and understand ways to reduce the risk of contracting this disease. Please see the article on West Nile virus for more information.
Malaria, another serious infection transmitted by mosquitoes, is fortunately uncommon in North America. Travellers going to areas where malaria is common who get a fever after returning home should be seen promptly by their physician. These travellers should be considered as having malaria unless proven otherwise (with a blood test).
Zika virus is passed on by the bite of infected Aedes species mosquitoes. It can also be transmitted through sexual intercourse from a person who has the infection to their sexual partners. It was first discovered in 1947 in Uganda, with a first human case detected in 1952 in Africa and outbreaks in various countries. Common symptoms of Zika virus are fever, rash, joint pain, and red eyes. Symptoms are usually mild and not life-threatening. However, Zika virus infection can be serious in pregnant people, causing serious birth defects in babies affecting the brain, eyes, hearing, and growth.
Lyme disease is caused by the bite of a deer tick that carries a parasite capable of causing disease in humans. People who are infected with Lyme disease may not experience symptoms right away after they are bitten. It is important that people with Lyme disease be diagnosed in a timely manner, as most people respond well to antibiotics.
Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is caused by tick bites in certain endemic areas that are infected with the bacteria Rickettsia rickettsii. These ticks are commonly found in the southeastern and south-central US. While most people who are infected by the bacteria will have mild or even unnoticeable symptoms, some can become seriously ill and require emergency medical care and antibiotics. Antibiotics are very effective against RMSF.
Ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis are other tick-borne illnesses which are only found in certain areas and often cause symptoms such as fever and aches.
Other ticks may cause a temporary, spreading paralysis if they go undiscovered for a few days. These creatures hang on and suck blood for as long as 7 days, becoming fatter in the process. After about 4 to 7 days, some species start producing new chemicals in their saliva, which can temporarily shut down parts of the human nervous system. This is called tick paralysis, and it’s quite different from Lyme disease. It clears up after the tick is removed, but can be fatal if breathing stops.
Mites that make their living around humans, such as house dust mites, don’t bite, but there are bird and animal mites that occasionally attack humans and leave larvae (chiggers) in the skin. These cause local skin reactions in both allergic and non-allergic people. Chiggers cause redness and itching, while adult mites leave a small bite that usually becomes irritated hours or days later. You’re most likely to be bitten by a mite if you handle live birds or poultry, pigs, rabbits, cats, dogs (especially puppies), seeds, straw, or hay.
If the stinger has been left in the skin, it should be removed as soon as possible. The most often suggested method of removing stingers is to scrape the skin with a thin, dull edge, such as the edge of a credit card or a thin dull table knife. Using tweezers to remove bee stingers may result in more venom being introduced into the wound due to unintentionally squeezing the venom sac.
Some specialists say that since the venom sac of a bee sting is still attached after the bee is gone, so care should be taken not to squeeze it as this can force the remaining venom into the wound.
Others maintain that it doesn’t matter how it is removed. Either way, you should remove it as quickly as possible to minimize the venom dose and the risk of infection.
Wash the affected area with soap and water.
Applying an icepack to prevent the venom from spreading and applying a paste of baking soda and water may also help to relieve welt formation.
With most bites and stings, the best treatment is to wait for the itching to go away. Ice cubes, acetaminophen, antihistamines, topical corticosteroids, and calamine lotion can help. If you are at risk of a major anaphylactic reaction (anyone who has had a severe allergic reaction in the past is at risk), some doctors recommend carrying a syringe filled with epinephrine. This naturally occurring hormone will open breathing tubes closed by anaphylaxis.
People who are allergic to insect stings may also undergo desensitization. This is only useful for people who have tested positive in the skin-scratch allergy test. By being exposed to small and harmless amounts of venom on a regular basis for a few years, the body’s response to the venom is changed, hopefully lowering the risk of anaphylaxis from future stings to almost nothing.
You should remove ticks with tweezers. They should be pulled straight out, as this reduces the chance of the head and mouthparts remaining in the wound. This may happen anyway. If it does, pluck out the easily accessible parts, but don’t fish around in the wound. These parts are unlikely to cause infection and certainly won’t transmit Lyme disease. Don’t try to kill the tick with heat or any chemical while it is still attached–just pull it out.
To avoid insects and insect bites, do not wear brightly-coloured clothing or strong, flowery perfumes or lotions. Do not carry overripe fruit or walk through clover fields. People with allergies to stings should wear identification bracelets. Applying insect repellents may also be useful to avoid insect bites. Wear long-sleeve shirts, pants, protective shoes, and socks for protection.
All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2026. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/condition/getcondition/Insect-Bites-and-Stings
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