Are You Confident of the Diagnosis? Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are an increasingly common problem in the United States and throughout the world. Their resurgence has been linked to increased domestic and international travel, a lack of societal awareness, a change in pesticide use patterns, and increasing bed bug resistance to common pesticides. These insects…
Are You Confident of the Diagnosis? What you should be alert for in the history Patients with bug bites rarely present with the history of arthropod exposure and subsequent bites. Bites are so common that most patients easily recognize the typical symptoms and are able to self medicate with over-the-counter antihistamines and topical hydrocortisone. Typically,…
Are You Confident of the Diagnosis? Spider bites can cause myriad symptoms, ranging from a mild discomfort or burning to life-threatening systemic organ failure, hemolytic anemia, and death. Most species of spiders are not known to bite humans, and only a small portion of those species that do bite humans are known to cause serious…
