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Bed bug bites: symptoms and how to get rid of them
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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Since bedbug bites continue to bother people in the 21st century, and few people know what to do when bitten by bedbugs, we have tried to collect as much useful information as possible in this article.
The diversity of bugs – arthropods of the Hemiptera order – is amazing, but let's start with those that bother humans the most.
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Epidemiology
Statistics show that bedbug infestations have been on the rise globally over the past two decades, with infestations in Europe, the United States, Canada and Australia in addition to developing countries. In Canada, one-third of dormitory and hotel and rooming house residents reported bedbug bites between 1995 and 2005. In the UK, the rate has increased by 24%, while experts at the US National Pest Management Association reported a 72% increase in bedbug calls between 2000 and 2005.
Causes bedbug bites
The common domestic bloodsucker, or hematophagous Cimex lectularius (bedbug), lives mainly in regions with a temperate climate. And no matter what you call their bites - a bite of a couch bug, bites of house bugs or bites of bedbugs - in fact, you are bitten by the same bedbug (which can live in your couch or in the bedding box under the same couch). Bedbugs can easily hide anywhere, but the main thing for them is to find a place closer to sleeping people, since it is difficult for them to move more than three meters. And to wait out the daylight hours, insects choose such secluded places as the seams of a mattress or sofa upholstery, cracks in the walls, crevices in wooden furniture, etc.
In addition to Cimex lectularius, which satiate their hunger with human blood, the Cimicinae subfamily includes another species of bed bugs – Cimex hemipterus, which lives in tropical or warm regions, including Africa, Asia, and the southern states of the United States. So it is these heat-loving blood-sucking ectoparasites that bite residents of Florida or Louisiana.
By the way, bedbug larval bites are possible, since entomologists classify these insects as Hemimetabolous, that is, they do not undergo a full cycle of metamorphosis: after hatching from eggs, nymph larvae appear, resembling an adult insect. They feed independently and gradually (from one molt to another) reach the adult stage.
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Symptoms bedbug bites
What does a bedbug bite look like? In most cases, bedbug bite marks look like isolated red papules or nodules on the skin – with a red swollen area and a dark red center. These marks are essentially the first signs of superficial entomoses, which in the case of bedbug bites, experts call hemipterosis.
Swelling from a bedbug bite occurs because, when biting a person, the insect injects a secretion of the salivary glands into the place where the tissue is punctured and blood is sucked out, which reduces the sensitivity of the skin (therefore the bite itself is not felt) and slows down blood clotting. The pathogenesis of skin reddening is associated with the fact that local protection (cellular immunity) responds to damage to the integrity of the epidermis and the introduction of foreign substances into its surface layer; for the same reason, small pustules or blisters from bedbug bites up to 4-5 cm in diameter appear. When there are several pustules, you can often observe their arrangement in a group or a zigzag line - a whole path of bedbug bites is formed, and these are the distinctive symptoms of hemipterosis.
The insect prefers to feed on open areas of the body of a sleeping person, so in most cases bedbug bites are found on the face, legs, arms, neck and just above the shoulder blades.
However, the itching of a bedbug bite may not begin immediately: it all depends on the individual level of sensitivity. In some people, the reaction to the bite develops within a few days, and some (about 20%) do not feel itching at all.
Bedbug bites during pregnancy and bedbug bites in children of any age have similar symptoms.
How long do bedbug bites last? Usually, the itchy red spots from the bites disappear on their own within one to two weeks.
Also Read – Bed Bug Bites
Complications and consequences
Bedbug bites themselves, as a rule, do not pose a health hazard, since the involvement of these insects in the spread of human pathogens (HIV, Staphylococcus aureus, hepatitis, etc.) has not been identified by researchers to date. However, some suggest that bedbugs, like many arthropods, can transmit arboviruses from warm-blooded animals to humans.
People whose homes are infested with bedbugs often have problems sleeping (due to the intense itching of the bites). But the main consequences and complications are an allergy to bedbug bites, especially with increased reactivity of the immune system. Then a rash from bedbug bites or hives against the background of bedbug bites may appear.
Thus, it is possible to develop an entomos allergic reaction in the form of Quincke's edema to a bedbug bite in a child suffering from diathesis, and in adults - in the presence of asthma - with symptoms of anaphylactic shock, requiring emergency medical care.
In addition, scratching the itchy bites can easily become infected, causing skin inflammation.
There's also the potential for anemia: As reported in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, in 2009, doctors diagnosed a 60-year-old patient with anemia caused by blood loss from bedbug bites.
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Diagnostics bedbug bites
The diagnosis begins with collecting indisputable evidence of bedbug bites, in particular, a thorough examination of the sleeping area.
Traces of insects can be found in the folds of the mattress and other places where they can hide. For example, you can find pale yellow shells of bedbug larvae (empty exoskeletons), which they periodically shed during the molting process. Bedbugs also leave small brown "grains of sand" of excrement, often collected in the form of spots: just wipe them with a damp cloth, and they will turn red-rusty (due to the presence of blood particles). You can also notice small smears of blood on the sheets if a bedbug that has drunk itself has been accidentally crushed.
By the way, antibodies from a bedbug bite can be detected in the blood only in the case of an allergic reaction, when hives appear against the background of bedbug bites.
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Differential diagnosis
Differential diagnosis is necessary because bedbug bites can be mistaken for bites from fleas, mosquitoes, or other blood-sucking insects.
How to distinguish a flea bite from a bedbug bite? Flea bites are usually localized on the lower part of the legs - in the ankle area.
How to distinguish a mosquito bite from a bedbug bite? A mosquito bite mark appears as a rapidly growing round swelling, in some cases a small dot can be seen in its center. In addition, at the moment of the bite itself, a person may feel a burning sensation. The "bump" at the site of the mosquito attack quickly turns red, becomes hard to the touch and itches very badly.
How to distinguish scabies from bedbug bites? Scabies scratches are most often on the wrists and fingers, in the elbows and under the knees, on the buttocks and thighs, on the face and on the scalp. And the main differences between lichen and bedbug bites are that with any type of lichen, desquamation (flaking) of the skin is always noted.
In addition, bedbug bites should be differentiated from such dermatological diseases as erythema nodosum; bullous or herpetiform dermatitis; acute febrile dermatosis (Sweet's syndrome) associated with leukemia.
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Forest and green bug bites
The superfamily Pentatomoidea comprise – shield bugs or shield bugs – belongs to the suborder Heteropterans, which has almost seven thousand species. All of them and even their nymph larvae on the abdomen have glands that secrete a foul-smelling liquid – the main defense against potential enemies. That is why they got the name stink bug.
Most species of ground bugs, such as the tortoiseshell bug (Eurygaster integriceps) or the brown-gray marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha Halys) are known agricultural pests. For example, the brown marmorated stink bug pierces the seeds and fruits of legumes, fruits, berries and vegetables and sucks out their juice with its proboscis. That is, these insects are phytophages. So a stink bug bite is theoretically impossible.
As well as the bite of the forest bug Pentatoma rufipes (red shield bug), Elasmucha grisea (gray shield bug) or Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale (leaf keel bug), since they are all phytophagous and their diet consists only of plant food.
Some wood bugs are predators, or more precisely, assassin bugs: they pierce caterpillars with a stylet extending from their jaws, and suck out liquid with their proboscis. The saliva of these bugs contains digestive enzymes that they release into the body of the victim, which facilitates the extraction of pre-digested contents of the prey. It is clear that humans are not among the potential victims of a hungry wood bug.
Is it possible to get bitten by a green bug? The most common in our latitudes tree green shield bug Palomena prasina lives in deciduous plantings, green bugs of the species Nezara viridula and Acrosternum hilare - in gardens, fields, in the grass. Both are phytophages. But the green bug Troilus luridus is a predator, but hunts only caterpillars and beetle larvae.
At the end of autumn, insects look for a warm place to spend the winter and can crawl or fly into houses and apartments. But whether they can bite people is unknown.
But the flower bugs Anthocoris nemorum (with a tiny oval body, reflective wings and orange-brown limbs) sit peacefully on flowering plants in parks and gardens, but... waiting for their potential food - aphids and ticks. British entomologists claim that this insect can, if necessary, behave aggressively and bite a person: the bite will itch for a long time and heal slowly, but is not at all dangerous to health.
Water bug bite
Water bugs belong to the suborder Heteroptera, superfamily Nepoidea, family of water striders (Infraorder Nepomorpha), subfamily Dipsocoromorpha. The most common are stick water striders (Hydrometridae) and ten species of common water striders (Gerridae Hemiptera).
They have adapted to life on the surface of fresh water and move along it thanks to the presence of many water-repellent hairs on their paws and body; water striders feed on smaller insects that accidentally fall into the water. They do not bite humans.
But there is the genus Lethocerus of the family Belostomatidae – the largest water bugs (can be up to 12 cm long), which lives in the rivers and lakes of North and South America, in East Asia and in northern Australia. They are the real predators, feeding on aquatic worms, snails, crustaceans, fish and frogs. And the bite of the water bug-lethocerus is considered one of the most painful among insect bites. But from a medical point of view, it is harmless. And the insect decides to bite a person extremely rarely: usually it throws out a foul-smelling liquid from its abdominal gland and immediately pretends to be dead.
Kissing bug bite
The real threat to life and health is the bite of the kissing bug - a triatomine hematophagous bug Triatoma infestans (other names - American assassin bug, Chagas bug, cone bug), which mainly lives in the countries of South and Central America.
This bug carries single-celled parasites trypanosomes (Trypanosoma cruzi), which cause dangerous Chagas disease, leading to disturbances in the functioning of the human heart, digestive and nervous systems. According to some data, today 16-18 million people worldwide are infected with trypanosomes.
Researchers note that in the last decade and a half, another subspecies of triatomine bugs has become more active in Vietnam – Triatoma rubrofasciata or the large kissing bug, which lives near human dwellings (in firewood, in dumps, in chicken coops). In large cities (Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City), these bugs bite residents of multi-story buildings at night.
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Treatment bedbug bites
Generally, treatment for bedbug bites involves good hygiene and minimal symptomatic therapy to reduce itching and prevent secondary skin infections.
And when asked whether it is possible to wash after bedbug bites, doctors answer in the affirmative, but advise not to rub the bite sites with a washcloth.
How to relieve itching from bedbug bites? And what to smear bedbug bites with? As an effective remedy for bedbug bites, antihistamine ointments Psilo-balm and Fenistil gel are recommended for bedbug bites - read Fenistil for allergies
But if the itching is severe, it is advisable to use antihistamine tablets for bedbug bites: Suprastin, Tavegil, Loratadine, Zyrtec, Trexil.
Helps relieve itching and speed up the healing of scratches by using external agents with glucocorticosteroids: Hydrocortisone ointment, Prednisolone, Oxycort, Akriderm, Flucinar, etc. How to use them and what side effects they may have is described in detail in the publication - Hormonal ointments for allergies
Antiseptic ointments, gels, creams, sprays offered in pharmacies can be used to prevent infection at the site of scratched bites. It is possible to use Nizulin cream (with chamomile extract), also suitable is a cream containing extracts of chamomile, string, plantain or D-panthenol children's cream for mosquito and bedbug bites.
To prevent secondary infection, you can treat the skin with the antiseptic spray Chlorhexidine or Furozol. The zinc oxide-containing suspension Tsindol for bedbug bites quickly relieves weeping inflammations that often develop when scratching the skin. But when the scratched area begins to suppurate, the best ointments to help are Levomekol, Levosin, Streptonitol, Baneocin, Sulfargin.
Traditional medicine suggests applying leaves of medicinal plants (peppermint, plantain, linden) to bites, and also lubricating the bitten area with garlic or onion juice. The effectiveness of these methods has not been tested by anyone, but a compress with a solution of baking soda really does reduce itching. It is also good to treat bites with an alcohol tincture of calendula, St. John's wort or propolis.
Prevention
According to entomologists, bedbugs do not differentiate between cleanliness and disorder in the house, but tidying up can still help reduce the number of hiding places for insects. But real prevention involves the complete destruction of parasites, carried out by pest control specialists.
It is also necessary to chemically treat all bedding, furniture (beds, sofas), and carpets. It may be necessary to get rid of heavily contaminated items.
Keep in mind that bedbugs die at temperatures above +50°C and below -18°C, so they can either be evaporated or frozen.
Conventional repellents, in particular bedbug sprays, as well as sprays to deter ticks and mosquitoes, are often ineffective. Therefore, it is not recommended to try to protect yourself from insect bites with their help. Sleeping with the lights on also does not deter hungry bedbugs.
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Forecast
In the vast majority of cases, the prognosis for bedbug bites is favorable.