One insect bite or sting is enough to turn a perfect day into a nightmare at the emergency ward of a hospital. At one point or the other, almost everyone in their lives has experienced an insect bite or sting. Mostly, these stings and bites lead to mild pain or itching right away. However, people can sometimes experience more severe reactions that can be caused by an allergic reaction to that sting or bite.
No matter how many DIYs and natural remedies you use to keep these pests and insects away, they’ll keep on coming back. So, it’s better to look for the companies that offer pest control services in Dubai.
According to Dr. Reza Khan, specialist of wildlife and zoo management at Dubai Municipality, earth has almost 950,000 species of insects. He has warned the residents to be aware of several common insects that could have life-threatening bites or stings.
Let’s take a look at the different types of bites and stings. With each of these sections you will learn more about the symptoms of various allergic reactions to specific insect bites and stings.
1. Mosquito Bites and Skeeter Syndrome-
There are a lot of reasons to hate mosquitoes- the irksome blood-suckers carry diseases like malaria, dengue fever, Zika viruses and West Nile. But apart from the threat of serious illness, these tiny creatures can make your “outdoor quality time” a living hell.
Nearly everyone is sensitive to mosquito bites. But for those with severe allergies, symptoms can be more than just annoying- they can be serious. Some common symptoms like the red bump and itching aren’t caused by the bite itself by the reaction of your body’s immune system to proteins in mosquito’s saliva. This reaction is known as Skeeter’s Syndrome.
Skeeter Syndrome condition is defined as “mosquito bite-induced large local inflammatory reactions accompanied by fever”. It is characterized by signs of inflammation, including swelling, heat, redness, and itching or pain.
2. Fire Ant Bites-
Among different types of fire ants, the most common and aggressive kind is the red imported fire ant which is reddish brown and about half of the size of pencil eraser. They are very aggressive when their nest is disturbed. If provoked, they swarm onto the perceived intruder, anchor themselves by biting to hold the skin stable, and then sting repeatedly, injecting toxic alkaloid venom called solenopsin.
An allergic reaction can be fatal causing a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis. Signs of dangerous allergic reactions include-
- breathlessness
- difficulty in swallowing
- nausea
- dizziness
- stomach cramps
- diarrhea
Familiar symptoms? Consult a doctor immediately!
3. Spider Bites and Latrodectism–
The redback scare began more than five years ago, after the spider expert Paul Hillyard, from the Natural History Museum in London, identified them in the UAE on behalf of the Dubai Municipality. When the residents from Ras Al Khaimah to Abu Dhabi began reporting sightings, many lodged complaints with the pest control sections in a year, and many pest control companies in Dubai were hired to eradicate them who further confirmed spiders’ presence.
Lactrodectism or envenomation by widow-spiders is common and significantly worldwide. The initial bite may only cause mild discomfort or irritation, and sometimes it is not even noticed. Pain usually increases over an hour or two. Abdominal or chest pain may develop. Other symptoms can include nausea, headache, vomiting, malaise and lethargy.
4. Bee Sting-
A common outdoor nuisance, a bee sting only produces a temporary irritation and pain in most of the cases. But for some people, a bee sting can cause a life-threatening anaphylaxis and that too in extreme cases.
According to the Journal of Asthma and Allergy, approximately 5 to 7.5 percent of people will experience a severe allergic reaction to insect stings in their lifetimes.
The venom of honeybees, paper wasps, and yellow jackets tend to cause the most severe allergic reactions. When someone has an anaphylactic or systematic allergic reaction to stings, that person may experience some or all of the given symptoms-
- Itching
- Swelling
- Flushing
- Sneezing or running nose
- Swelling in lips, tongue and throat
- Breathlessness, wheezing or coughing
- Stomach cramps
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Metallic taste in mouth
5. Bed Bug Bites-
Tiny home pests that resemble apple seeds, bed bugs hide in sockets, baseboards, in and under mattresses and even behind the wallpaper. It doesn’t matter how clean your dwelling is, they can enter your home from your neighbors, voids and sockets, etc. But don’t worry; you just have to contact professionals that offer bed bug services in Dubai!
Beg bugs feed on their hosts’ blood when people are in deep sleep. Each bed bug stings three times per night. Most of the people suffer from mild allergic reaction to bed bug bites. In fact, a common reaction to toxins is inflammation. You may notice that the skin around the area of the bite is red, inflamed and swollen. The marks are itchy, painful and tend to be scratched. They may look like a mosquito bite, a rash or irritation, or in the form of big red swellings on the skin.
So, if you want to get rid of these parasites invading your home, reach to us.