How to treat and prevent chigger bites

Date: Feb-15-2017 Chiggers are the juvenile form of a species of mite that belongs to the Trombiculidae family. They attach themselves to humans and feed on skin cells, which can lead to itching.

According to the Entomology Department at the University of Kentucky, these mites commonly attach where the skin is thin, wrinkled, or tender. They also commonly attach in areas where clothing is tight.

Contents of this article:

What are chiggers?

How to prevent being bitten

Treating a bite

Symptoms and signs

What are chiggers?

Chiggers are very small and are almost impossible to see with the naked eye. At around 1/50th of an inch in size, most people require a magnifying glass to spot them. These mites resemble tiny spiders, are red in color, and tend to cluster in groups on a person's skin. They are only really visible when in groups.

How to prevent being bitten

Chiggers are most common in spring and fall months. While chiggers can be found across the United States, they are more common in the warmer southern and mid-western states.

Chiggers are very small mites that feed on skin cells.

Common places to find chiggers include:

long and overgrown grass in fields and gardens

forests

grassy areas around lakes and rivers

berry patches

beneath rocks

among weeds

where large numbers of rodents are present

areas of high humidity

The easiest method of avoiding chigger bites is simply by avoiding walking in long grass, bushes, or other areas where chiggers may be present. However, this is not an option for everyone.

People who do walk into contaminated areas should use bug sprays that contain DEET. The chemical should be sprayed on both the skin and clothing. People should not apply DEET to infants under 2 months of age or allow children to apply repellent themselves.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a good bug spray to use on your clothing is permethrin. This kills chiggers as well as mosquitoes and ticks.

If using permethrin, people should treat their clothing 1 or 2 days in advance to allow them to dry before being worn in the wild. Users should be sure to follow the label instructions on all pesticides they may use.

If venturing into long grass, it is advised that people wear tall boots. Trousers should also be worn and should be tucked into socks. People are also advised to wear a belt and long-sleeved shirts. This stops the chiggers from having direct access to skin.

Once a person is out of the infested area, they should remove and wash their clothes immediately. A hot shower or bath is then advised, scrubbing the body with soap.

The less time spent among the contaminated vegetation, the less chance chiggers have of getting onto a person's skin.

Treating a bite

Chiggers may be found in long grasses in gardens and other outdoor areas.

If a person brushes up against grass or other vegetation where chiggers are present, these mites can quickly attach to their skin. If chiggers bite someone, there are a few things they can do.

Over-the-counter anti-itch medications: These are good at preventing a person from scratching their bites. These medications include hydrocortisone or calamine lotion.

Ice: If a person does not have access to medication right away, applying ice to bites is a good way to relieve the desire to scratch.

Bath or shower: A person should take a bath or shower when they realize they have chigger bites. Scrubbing with soap and water is a good way to remove any other chiggers that may remain on the body. This will prevent further bites.

Chigger bites usually take a week or so to heal. However, if a bite persists for a prolonged period of time, people are advised to visit a doctor.

A doctor may prescribe steroid shots to calm itching and swelling, though this is only in rare cases. If bites become infected, a doctor may also prescribe antibiotics.

Chigger bites

Contrary to popular belief, chiggers do not burrow into the skin, feed on a person's blood, or carry disease. However, they do feed on human skin cells, although it is only the juvenile form of these mites that do this.

When biting a human, chiggers will insert their feeding structures into the skin. Before they can eat, the chiggers inject an enzyme into the skin to liquefy the tissue. This action makes a hole in the skin and then the skin around this hole hardens, forming a feeding tube, which is called a stylostome. Chiggers then feed on the destroyed tissue through this stylostome. If left undisturbed, the chiggers can feed for a couple of days.

Chiggers have delicate feeding structures. This means that they find it easier to penetrate a person's skin where there are wrinkles, folds, or where the skin is thinnest.

Symptoms and signs

Chigger bites may be very itchy and appear in groups.

Because the skin hardens around the feeding area, most people develop reddish welts within 24 hours of being bitten, which are then followed by intense itching.

These bumps can resemble blisters, hives, welts, and pimples and tend to appear in groups. They will often grow in size for the next 7 days.

The itching may last for a week or longer if not treated.

Are there any complications?

Chiggers in the U.S. are not known to carry and transmit diseases. However, they do cause intense itching. If the bites are scratched, they may result in infections that can sometimes lead to fevers.

Other biting insects and bugs to look out for

As well as chiggers, there are a number of other biting insects to be aware of. Here is a small selection that people may come across:

Ticks: Ticks are often located in plants and brush and can bite people. While their bites are often deemed harmless to humans, they can carry diseases such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Scabies: These mites burrow into a person's skin and cause intense itching. Scabies can spread when a person comes into close contact with a person infected by the mites.

Bed bugs: Usually found in beds and old furniture, bed bugs have a mild bite and are less than 1 millimeter long. They usually leave a small, red, itchy lump after a bite.

Fleas: Fleas don't just bite pets; they often bite humans too. These insects suck blood from their hosts to feed and leave small itchy lumps.

Mosquitoes: Mosquitoes cause itchy hives on a human's skin once they have fed. They are often harmless, but some species can carry serious diseases.

Fire ants: Found mainly in the southern U.S., these ants have a stinger and a painful bite. Fire ant stings can be very itchy and often turn into pus-filled blisters.

Written by Adam Rowden

Courtesy: Medical News Today Note: Any medical information available in this news section is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional.