Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Top 50 Dermatology Case Studies for Primary Care pp 269–273Cite as

Bedbug Bites

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

  • 1898 Accesses

Abstract

Bedbugs are wingless brown insects that can reside in the crevices of beds and mattress seams. They are nocturnal blood-feeders whose bites cause pruritic, erythematous papules on affected individuals. The bites of bedbugs may be difficult to distinguish from other insect bites, and history plays an integral role in arriving at a diagnosis. People affected by bedbugs may report finding new lesions in the morning, having a partner with whom they share a bed report similar lesions, detecting fecal matter in the mattress seams, or seeing a bedbug. Treatment of the lesions aims to provide symptomatic relief, either by topical corticosteroids or oral antihistamines. The most definitive treatment approach also addresses treatment of the bedbug infestation with appropriate extermination.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

References

  1. Bernardeschi C, Le Cleach L, Delaunay P, Chosidow O. Bed bug infestation. BMJ. 2013;346:f138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Schwartz RA, Steen CJ. Chapter 210. Arthropod bites and stings. In: Goldsmith LA, Katz SI, Gilchrest BA, Paller AS, Leffell DJ, Wolff K, editors. Fitzpatrick’s dermatology in general medicine. 8th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2012. Available from: http://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com.ezproxy.cul.columbia.edu/content.aspx?bookid=392&Sectionid=41138941. Accessed 3 Mar 2015.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Melnick L, Samimi S, Elder D, Xu X, Vittorio CC, Rosenbach M, Wanat KA. Targetoid lesions in the emergency department. Bed bug bites (Cimex lectularius) with targetoid lesions on initial presentation. JAMA Dermatol. 2013;149(6):751–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Baumblatt JA, Dunn JR, Schaffner W, Moncayo AC, Stull-Lane A, Jones TF. An outbreak of bed bug infestation in an office building. J Environ Health. 2014;76(8):16–8.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Goddard J, Edwards KT. Effects of bed bug saliva on human skin. JAMA Dermatol. 2013;149(3):372–3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine Attending Mount Sinai Doctors/Beth Israel Medical Group-Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY, USA

    Danya Reich MD (Assistant Professor)

  2. School of Medicine Imperial College London, London, UK

    Corinna Eleni Psomadakis BA, MBBS

  3. Department of Dermatology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Bobby Buka MD, JD (Medical Director Bobby Buka Dermatology Section Chief)

Authors
  1. Danya Reich MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Corinna Eleni Psomadakis BA, MBBS
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Bobby Buka MD, JD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Reich, D., Psomadakis, C.E., Buka, B. (2017). Bedbug Bites. In: Top 50 Dermatology Case Studies for Primary Care. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18627-6_40

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18627-6_40

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-18626-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-18627-6

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation