Search
Cimicidae (bedbug)
Reddish-brown flattened wingless insects approximately 5 mm in length. They are blood-sucking with long, narrow proboscis folded underneath the body when not in use. (also see Cimex lectularius)
Epidemiology:
- cosmopolitan in distribution, attack almost any mammal & feed primarily at night
- during the day, they hide under mattresses or in other small dark spaces
- bedbugs do not actively infest skin
- traveler's may unwittingly bring bedbugs home in their luggage
- bedbugs are not known to transmit diseases
Clinical manifestations:
- bites may cause painful wheal or bullae, depending upon the victim's sensitivity to the bedbug saliva
- bites described as urticarial papules
- may be a linear pattern to multiple bites, 'breakfast, lunch & dinner'
- some individuals may not react at all [2]
* image [4]
Complications:
- bites can become secondarily infected
Management:
- topical glucocorticoids, unless secondarily infected
- oral antihistamines may provide symptomatic relief of itching [2]
Specific
Cimex (bedbug)
General
hemiptera
Properties
KINGDOM: animal
PHYLUM: arthropod
ORGANISM-CLASS: INSECTA
ORDER: hemiptera
FAMILY: Cimicidae
References
- Clinical Diagnosis & Management by Laboratory Methods,
19th edition, J.B. Henry (ed), W.B. Saunders Co.,
Philadelphia, PA. 1996, pg 1303
- Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 16
American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 2012
- Kolb A, Needham GR, Neyman KM, High WA.
Bedbugs.
Dermatol Ther. 2009 Jul-Aug;22(4):347-52
PMID: 19580578
- Wikipedia: Cimicidae (image)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cimicidae