Skip to main content

Unfortunately we don't fully support your browser. If you have the option to, please upgrade to a newer version or use Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, or Safari 14 or newer. If you are unable to, and need support, please send us your feedback.

We'd appreciate your feedback.Tell us what you think!

Elsevier
Publish with us
AI-Generated response:

What is the best treatment for bedbug bites?

Answer generated on June 4, 2024

The AI-generated responses are for illustration purposes only and should not be used for medical purposes.

The best treatment for bedbug bites involves symptomatic relief primarily through the use of topical glucocorticoids and systemic antihistamines, alongside measures to prevent infection and eradicate the bedbugs.[1-3]

  • Apply triamcinolone cream 0.1% bid to affected areas to reduce inflammation and itching.[1]

  • Administer chlorpheniramine 4 mg PO at bedtime for adults and 2 mg PO at bedtime for children to manage pruritus.[1]

  • Encourage patients to avoid scratching the bites to prevent secondary infection.[1]

  • Implement environmental controls such as washing bedding at high temperatures, using mattress covers, and employing professional pest control services for effective eradication.[1-3]

  • Consider non-pharmacologic measures like vacuuming and using steam treatments on mattresses to reduce bedbug populations.[1]

Additional info

In managing bedbug bites, it's crucial to address both the symptoms and the source of the infestation. Topical glucocorticoids like triamcinolone are effective for reducing the inflammatory response and itching associated with bites. Systemic antihistamines such as chlorpheniramine can help control allergic reactions and improve sleep by reducing itchiness at night. Preventative measures against infection are important, as scratching can lead to secondary infections. Environmental management, including high-temperature laundering and professional extermination, plays a critical role in eliminating bedbugs from the living environment, thereby preventing further bites. These combined approaches help manage the immediate discomfort from bites and reduce the likelihood of future infestations.

References

Reference 1

1.

Elsevier ClinicalKey Derived Clinical Overview

• Specific treatment of bedbug bites is often not necessary. Bites may self-resolve within a week for milder cases and a few weeks for more severe cases. Treatment regimens are based on resolving symptoms of the bites, mainly pruritus. • To prevent infection, avoid scratching the area. • Topical glucocorticoids or systemic antihistamines are appropriate in patients with severe pruritus from the bedbug bite. 1.000000000000000e+00 Triamcinolone cream 0.1%; apply thin film to affected areas bid. 2.000000000000000e+00 Chlorpheniramine 4 mg PO at bedtime (adults), 2 mg PO at bedtime (children). • Insecticides may be effective in eradicating the bedbug, but growing resistance has been seen, and multiinsecticide therapy is recommended. 1.000000000000000e+00 Use permethrin spray for clothing and bedsheets or bed nets. 2.000000000000000e+00 Diethyltoluamide (DEET): Be wary of toxic levels in children when used at high concentrations. 3.000000000000000e+00 Deltamethrin and chlorfenapyr are two common insecticides used. 4.000000000000000e+00 Please consult a pest control professional for safe eradication.

Vacuuming is effective in removing bedbugs but does not remove the eggs. Wash bedsheets and clothing in hot water with detergent with at least 20 min in a dryer. Bedbugs have a high thermal death point of 45° C (113° F) and also may survive at temperatures as low as 7° C (44.6° F). Some companies perform a treatment in which the room is heated above 50° C (122° F), which is a lethal temperature for all stages of a bedbug’s life cycle. Coating bedposts with antifriction or adhesive substances such as petrolatum or duct tape may hinder bedbugs from gaining access to the bed. Steam may be utilized to sterilize a mattress or similar materials for which insecticides are inappropriate, but a target temperature of 71° to 82° C (160° to 180° F) must be reached over the entirety of the surface. Commercial whole room/whole home heating, using propane heaters and fans, is available. Most of these systems achieve a target temperature of around 45° C (113° F), held for 15 to 60 min. Other comparatively simplistic measures, such as impermeable mattress covers, are also widely employed.

Reference 2

2.

Seifert, Steven A., C. Dart, Richard, White, Julian (2024). In Goldman-Cecil Medicine (pp. 705). DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-323-93038-3.00098-8

Bedbugs are increasingly recognized in homes, hotels, and college campuses, and bedbugs can be introduced into buildings by birds, bats, and luggage. They hide in cracks and crevices of beds, particularly along the seams of mattresses. A bedbug is red-brown and about the size of a small tick (Fig. 98-4). Their bites, which characteristically are on the face, neck, and arms, typically present as a string of bites (Fig. 98-5). Symptomatic treatment is with topical corticosteroids (seeTable 407-10), but disinfestation requires that all bedding be washed and dried in a hot setting and that the mattress and box spring be placed in a zippered plastic case.

Reference 3

3.

Shipman KE, Weaving G, Shipman AR. Clinical and Experimental Dermatology. 2023;48(5):453-461. doi:10.1093/ced/llac140.

Publish date: April 4, 2023.

Bedbugs are on the rise in urban populations across the world, perhaps reflecting the ban on the use of organophosphates in many countries worldwide. They are flat obligate haematophagous insects, preferring humans, and as a consequence the bedbug bites lack toxins and can often go unnoticed for some time. Bites can, however, cause weals, purpura, petechiae, vesicles, pustules, papular urticaria, localized infection and rarely anaphylaxis. Infestations have to be confirmed by finding the bugs, usually around the bed of the person being bitten. Eradication usually requires a combination of physical (for example high temperature, mattresses protectors, traps, cold) and chemical methods (for example chrysanthemic acid derivatives plus potentiators such as geraniol and piperonyl butoxide or acetylcholine esterase inhibitors).

Follow up questions