Leishmania-

Sand flies are tiny, blood-sucking flies which sting exposed skin, especially of the face, arms and legs.  Since the female begins to hunt for prey at sunset, most bites occur at night.  In most cases the bites are slight, itch for several hours and gradually disappear.

The bite of the sand fly is only dangerous in the region of the Dead Sea, Israel.  There the flies bear a parasite called Leishmania, which causes an ulcerous disease generically called Leishmaniasis.  If the parasite is transmitted to humans, after several weeks a purulent ulcer can develop which remains for months and eventually leaves a scar.  Since a sand fly cannot fly higher than 20 centimeters (8 inches) from the ground, anyone sleeping in the region of the Dead Sea should sleep on a bed or on a raised platform.  Trousers and long sleeved shirts should be worn at night and an insect repellent should be used.

TREATMENT

The treatment for the bites of regular sand flies is the same as for mosquito bites.  If a purulent lesion develops, a dermatologist should be consulted immediately to prevent the development of Leishmaniasis.  Early treatment of the disease, either by injections or the use of creams and ointments especially formulated to combat Leishmaniasis, can prevent the formation of scars after the lesions have healed.

BEDBUGS

Bedbugs are usually found in old buildings which are not well cared for.  Bedbugs are wingless, red-brown in color, an need moisture. During the day they hide in beds, under carpets and rugs, in the cracks in old furniture and in walls.  At night they leave their hiding places in search of food: human blood.  In most cases their bites are only perceived the following morning, the marks forming straight lines of red dots.  If the person bitten is particularly sensitive, the itchy red spots can last for several weeks.  In addition to treating the bites themselves with ice and soothing creams and lotions, the bedbugs should be destroyed, and if necessary an exterminator should be called to fumigate the furniture.

TREATMENT

The same treatment is recommended the bites of bedbugs as for mosquito bites.

FLEAS

These insects are parasites, usually living on mammals and birds.  House pets like cats and dogs can serve as their natural breeding grounds.  Humans are rarely affected by fleas, and then only when the animal is very heavily infested.

Fleas often remain on the rugs or sofas where pets sleep, and if their usual host is absent they will exploit humans to insure their food supply.  Fleas are also found on lawns and in sandboxes where infested animals have been.  Flea bites generally appear as swollen, very itchy red spots, concentrated on the legs, usually during hot weather and most frequently on children.  Whenever such a concentration of red spots is found, the pet and the area around the house should be examined carefully, and anti-flea measures taken.  The cat or dog should wear an anti-flea collar, which will keep the pet free of fleas as long as the collar is worn.

TREATMENT

The same treatment is recommended flea bites as for mosquito bites.  Flea bites will continue until the fleas have been gotten rid of.

Bees And Wasps Stings-

Only the female bee has a sting, which is located at the end of its abdomen.  When a bee stings it injects poison into the flesh of its victim, causing an irritation.  A person who has been stung by a bee experiences local pain, redness and swelling for about 48 hours.  On clear, sunny days when there are many flowers in bloom, it is highly unlikely that a bee will sting a human being.  However, when it is cloudy, a person wearing bright colors, especially red or yellow, is liable to attract a bee’s attention.  They usually sting if they are annoyed or feel that they are in danger.  Wasps, on the other hand, usually attack if their nests are approached; they should therefore be left alone.  If bees or wasps have built a nest near your house in a hollow tree or a recess in a wall, call a professional exterminator to destroy it.

TREATMENT

Bee stings, with their poison sacks, remain in the skin, and must be removed as quickly as possible.  Wasps, on the other hand, retain their stings and can therefore sting again.

WARNING!  Squeezing a bee sting can drive the poison further into the skin.  It is preferable to try to remove the sting with a needle, knifepoint or fingernail.

Bee and wasp stings should be washed with soap and water, and ice can be used to relieve pain.  As soon as a bee stings, it releases a chemical substance which attracts other bees to the area, so that one sting can be the cause of dozens more.  Spreading smoke, for instance by waving burning cigarettes in the air, can repel angry bees and prevent further stings.

Applying an anesthetic like benzocaine or a cream containing cortisone can relieve pain for a short time.  If there are multiple stings an antihistamine should be taken orally to alleviate itching and reduce swelling.  Remember that some of these drugs contain substances which can reduce alertness, and therefore they should not be taken while driving a car or engaging in any other activity which requires alertness or concentration.

Insect  Bites-

There are more than a million different kinds of insects in the world.  An insect is a six-legged animal with two antennae, generally possessing a rigid exoskeleton and often winged.  Among the insect family are classed the various kinds of ants, bees, roaches, fleas, bedbugs, lice, mosquitoes and various kinds of flies.  Many of them are unwanted guests in our homes.  Some of them are not injurious to man, others are annoying, and there are some which can endanger human life.  During the summer, contact with insects is more intensive.  We leave doors and windows open and stay outside for many hours, either on trips in the countryside or just sitting on the porch or in the garden.  Being aware of insect behavior patterns can help us protect ourselves and in most cases avoid bites and stings.

INSECT STINGS (BITES)

A sting is a small puncture wound.  The insect stings its victim to obtain the blood on which it lives.  The organs of its mouth are constructed in such a way as to allow them to penetrate the skin.  The sting causes itching, an allergic reaction to substances in the insect’s saliva which is injected into the skin when the insect feeds.  Some insects secrete various substances around the area of the sting, and scratching makes them penetrate.  Different people react differently to insect bites.  People who live in the same house and are exposed to the bites of the same mosquitoes do not necessarily react in the same way.  Some will experience a small number of bites and suffer only slightly while others will be stung many times and suffer for days or even weeks.  In a small percentage of cases bites scratched with dirty fingernails become infected.  If this happens, it is advisable to consult a physician, who will prescribe an antibiotic ointment.  Much more serious are insects whose bite introduces disease-bearing organisms into the body, such as the Anopheles mosquito, which carries malaria.

MOSQUITOES

Mosquitoes are a plague in summer.  Since heat and water are an optimal combination for them, all sources of standing water should be destroyed.  Screens on doors and windows are very important in preventing mosquitoes from entering the home.  People who are susceptible to mosquito bites and go on trips or to summer camps where mosquitoes are prevalent should use an insect repellent and wear the proper clothing: long pants, socks and long-sleeved shirts.  The disadvantage of insect repellents is that they evaporate after two or three hours and have to be reapplied.  If they have not been applied thoroughly, there will always be a hungry mosquito who will find a small patch of unprotected skin to light on.  It is only the female mosquitoes who feed on blood; male mosquitoes are vegetarians, living on the nectar of plants,  they pose no problem for humans.  Insect repellents are usually safe for people of all ages.  Anyone unwilling to use a chemical insect repellent can use an electric repellent which emits anti-insect odors into the air, or electric bug-killers which in effect electrocute the flying insects which are attracted to their glowing wires.

TREATMENT

A mosquito bite should not be scratched.  The area should be washed with soap and water and if the bite is very annoying, ice or cold compresses can be used to relieve the pain and to reduce redness and swelling.  Calamine lotion will stop the itch.  Extreme sensitivity at the site of the bite or the discharge of a yellow fluid are sometimes the result of a bacterial infection which has been caused by scratching.  In these cases a physician should be consulted in order to obtain antibiotic treatment.

Spider Bites Treatment And  Prevention-

Most spiders do not bite and are not at all dangerous.  Exceptions to this rule are the Black Widow spider and the Brown Recluse spider.  The Brown Recluse spider, which has a violin-shaped design on its back, is shy by nature, tending to live in clothes closets, unused dresser drawers and dusty storerooms.  Its bite is usually not felt and is only discovered after about eight hours.  The bite appears as a bluish-white area in whose center is a small and very painful sting.  Around this central area appears a widening red ring which can reach a diameter of 20 centimeters (8 inches) and more.

Since in some cases the central white area can become gangrenous, a dermatologist must be consulted if the bite of a Brown Recluse spider is suspected.  When taking clothes out of storage at the beginning of the summer, remember to shake them out thoroughly in case a Brown Recluse spider is hiding inside.  It is especially important to shake out clothing before getting dressed when camping outdoors, since a Brown Recluse spider may have crawled out from under the rocks and into warm clothing.

WHAT TO DO ?

If the spider which caused the bite can be trapped, bring it with you to your dermatologist or family physician for identification.  Primary treatment includes bedrest, immobilizing the affected area, and moistening the area with a saline solution (two teaspoons of salt disso lived in one liter of water which has been boiled and cooled).  Since the poison of the Brown Recluse spider penetrates the skin rapidly, it cannot be neutralized.  If the central white area does not disappear and becomes numb or develops blisters, the use of oral antibiotics, steroids or a drug called Dapson  should be considered.

ALLERGIC REACTIONS TO INSECT POISONS

Two percent of the population are allergic to insect poisons.  The first sting causes heightened sensitivity.  The second sting, months or years later, can cause rashes which spread over the skin, a sharp drop in blood pressure and breathing difficulties which can lead to choking and death.  Any person who knows that he or she is allergic to insect bites must carry a special syringe at all times containing epinephrine.  This automatic syringe should be used immediately after an insect bite to reduce tissue swelling and prevent the danger of strangulation.  The patient must go to the emergency room of the nearest hospital to receive treatment consisting of steroids (injected or taken orally) in conjunction with antihistamines.  People who are allergic to insect bites and travel to areas without regular medical services should take appropriate medication with them, as prescribed by their family physicians or dermatologists.