Sometimes I look at leaf samples under a microscope. There may be hundreds of mites crawling around. I then start to feel the back of my neck has something crawling on it. This may be a primitive survival instinct to keep “crawly creatures” off our bodies. Our minds can play tricks on us.
The modern world has many other things that can cause us to itch. Insects are just one of more than 20 categories of things that can make us itch. My article today covers two problems we see only a few times each year. Both problems involve unexplained itching.
False parasitosis
False parasitosis is a condition involving an unknown or unseen cause of itching. Insects are blamed first, but upon close examination, no worms, mites, fleas or other creatures are detected. Some people are absolutely convinced insects are causing the itch. They may bathe or clean several times a day. They scratch constantly and often apply harsh pesticides to themselves. Specimens brought in for identification usually consist of bits of dead skin, hair, lint or dirt.
The real source of the itch could be a reaction to cosmetics, soaps or medications. People often start itching when the humidity changes and the skin dries out. There can be a reaction to insulation or carpet fibers. Static electricity can cause some folks to itch. Conditions like stress or pregnancy also can cause unexplained itching. People with false parasitosis are not “crazy.” They do not have bats in their belfry. They just need to look beyond insects for the cause. A physician should be consulted for help in discovering the root cause.
Bedbugs bite
Bedbugs (Cimex lectularius L) used to be quite common 50 years ago. Long-lasting pesticides such as DDT eventually wiped them out. Bedbugs are now making a comeback. We get several calls each year at the office. Pest-control companies report finding bedbugs more often in homes and hotel rooms. The theory is that people travel more often to other countries where bedbugs are still common. The pesticides used today are milder and break down quickly. People are usually asleep when bedbugs bite. They usually don’t even feel the bite. The bite may be mistaken for a mosquito bite. There are often several marks in a row where the bedbug stabbed looking for a good blood vein.
Bedbug biology
Bedbugs hide out in cracks and crevices, often in the bedroom. They feed on human blood at night.
The adult bedbug is 1/4-inch long, 1/8-inch wide and reddish brown. The male’s abdominal tip is more pointed than the female’s rounded tip. It is flat as a pancake, with an oval body covered with hairs. These creatures can enter any crack that a sheet of paper could slide into.
Humans, bats and poultry can serve as hosts for bedbugs and bat bugs, but humans are the preferred host. An adult female must mate and take at least one blood meal before producing eggs. She can produce more than 300 eggs in her life.
Treatments are now targeted to cracks and crevices. One treatment may not be sufficient to obtain control. The room should be treated and reinspected before allowing a hotel room to be reoccupied. Even high-class hotels can have bedbugs, so check the sheets.
A similar insect called a bat bug also might be found. This diagnosis really could mean you have bats in the belfry. Bats can get inside an attic and roost. The young bats can have the parasitic bat bugs. These bat bugs look and act like bedbugs. They also can move into the living space and attack humans.
Now, I hope nobody starts itching when they read this piece.
For more information see UT Publication PB 1763 at www.utk.edu.
Contact Tom Stebbins at tstebbins@utk.edu or 855-6113.