Chigger: Difference between revisions
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==Overview== | |||
* | Chigger or chigoe can refer to either of two parasitic arthropods with similar behaviors: | ||
* | * The [[chigoe flea]] (''Tunga penetrans''), found in tropical climates | ||
* The larva of a [[harvest mite]] that, when carrying a tiny parasite called ''Orientia tsutsugamushi'', causes [[scrub typhus]]. The larvae are also called scrub mite, red mite and several other names, and they are found throughout temperate and tropical zones; the name ''chigger'' originated as a corruption of ''chigoe'', but the [[harvest mite]] is what is most commonly called a ''chigger'' in North America. | |||
== Chigger Facts == | == Chigger Facts == | ||
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*The red welt/bump on skin is not where a chigger laid eggs. <ref>About.com: Chiggers Pediatric Dermatology Basics </ref> | *The red welt/bump on skin is not where a chigger laid eggs. <ref>About.com: Chiggers Pediatric Dermatology Basics </ref> | ||
== Prevention == | ==Treatment== | ||
=== Medical Treatment === | |||
To reduce the itching, apply an anti-itch cream that contains hydrocortisone, calamine, or benzyl benzoate. If you are sensitive to these medications or have questions, be sure to ask your health-care professional or pharmacist | |||
=== Prevention === | |||
*Keep grass short. | *Keep grass short. | ||
*Remove brush and wood debris where potential mite hosts may live. | *Remove brush and wood debris where potential mite hosts may live. | ||
| Line 30: | Line 32: | ||
*Apply insect repellant to your feet, legs, and mid-section. | *Apply insect repellant to your feet, legs, and mid-section. | ||
== | ==Related Chapters== | ||
* [[Insect bite relief stick]] | * [[Insect bite relief stick]] | ||
* [[Schmidt Sting Pain Index]] | * [[Schmidt Sting Pain Index]] | ||
==References== | |||
{{Reflist|2}} | |||
[[Category:Dermatology]] | [[Category:Dermatology]] | ||
[[Category:First aid]] | [[Category:First aid]] | ||
[[Category:Infectious disease]] | [[Category:Infectious disease]] | ||
{{WikiDoc Help Menu}} | {{WikiDoc Help Menu}} | ||
{{WikiDoc Sources}} | {{WikiDoc Sources}} | ||
Revision as of 21:31, 6 December 2012
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WikiDoc Resources for Chigger |
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Most recent articles on Chigger |
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Ongoing Trials on Chigger at Clinical Trials.gov Clinical Trials on Chigger at Google
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US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Chigger
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Definitions |
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Directions to Hospitals Treating Chigger Risk calculators and risk factors for Chigger
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Cafer Zorkun, M.D., Ph.D. [2]
Overview
Chigger or chigoe can refer to either of two parasitic arthropods with similar behaviors:
- The chigoe flea (Tunga penetrans), found in tropical climates
- The larva of a harvest mite that, when carrying a tiny parasite called Orientia tsutsugamushi, causes scrub typhus. The larvae are also called scrub mite, red mite and several other names, and they are found throughout temperate and tropical zones; the name chigger originated as a corruption of chigoe, but the harvest mite is what is most commonly called a chigger in North America.
Chigger Facts
- Chiggers do burrow into the skin but do not suck blood. It attaches to its host, injects digestive enzymes into the bite wound, and then sucks up the digested tissue.
- Warm, rainy days make these parasitic and predatory mites reproduce into large populations. Once the ground temperature is regularly above 60°F, the harvest mite lays eggs, and “chigger season” is underway. This season typically begins in April and ends in the early autumn/first “frost.”
- Chiggers do not like sunlight or humidity. During the wet season, chiggers are usually found in tall grass and other vegetation.
- During dry seasons, chiggers are most found underneath brush and shady areas.[1][2]
Chigger Myths
- Applying finger nail polish to red bumps/bites on our skin does not help. By the time the severe itching occurs, the chigger is long gone.
- Chiggers do not drink blood. Chiggers drink liquefied skin cells.
- These pests are mites, not insects.
- The red welt/bump on skin is not where a chigger laid eggs. [3]
Treatment
Medical Treatment
To reduce the itching, apply an anti-itch cream that contains hydrocortisone, calamine, or benzyl benzoate. If you are sensitive to these medications or have questions, be sure to ask your health-care professional or pharmacist
Prevention
- Keep grass short.
- Remove brush and wood debris where potential mite hosts may live.
- Keep major host away from the area, such as - rodents and other small mammals. Secure trash cans to discourage wildlife from coming near your home.
- Sunlight that penetrates the grass will make the lawn drier and make it less favorable for chigger survival. [4]
- Apply insect repellant to your feet, legs, and mid-section.