Do you have allergies to some insects? This is what you should do

In some people, the bites can cause a severe allergic reaction and require urgent medical attention. There are prevention kits for these reactions

Dr. Eduardo Junco

He has collaborated for more than 20 years in the magazine ¡HOLA! with popular articles and medical news. In this small section you will find information on all the issues that affect our daily health and well-being. And all this told in a pleasant, educational and professional style.

When asked what to do if you are allergic to an insect sting, especially if it is bees or wasps, the answer is clear: be careful and always carry your kit. And it is that when temperatures rise, we spend more time outdoors and we are more exposed to insect bites that, in some people, can cause allergic reactions. These episodes can be serious and, if not controlled, could trigger analytic shock. For this reason, we are going to explain to you which are the bites most likely to cause an allergy in certain individuals with a predisposition and what you should do to avoid taking risks.

And it is that allergy to insects is becoming more frequent every day, especially if we take into account the two types of allergy that these invertebrates can produce in the human species. On the one hand, the general reaction allergy produced by contact or inhalation, such as that which occurs in the allergy to mites or processionary caterpillars, and on the other hand, the allergy with local or general manifestations to the bites or to the venom of different insects, such as spiders, horseflies, mosquitoes, wasps, bees, or bumblebees. In both situations, this type of predictable allergic reaction can be avoided with preventive measures in places, seasons and situations that favor contact with the agents that cause the allergy.

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dust mite allergy

Mites are insects of the arachnid family, microscopic in size (0.2-0.4 mm) invisible to the human eye, which cause allergies by inhaling their remains and excrement accumulated in domestic dust located on curtains, carpets , bedding, stuffed animals, carpets, etc.

Its biological development depends on the humidity and the ambient temperature, being from 20º to 30ºC and with high humidity, from 70-80% the most favorable environment.

Dust mite allergy manifests as an inhalation allergy, with itchy nose, rhinitis, sneezing, conjunctivitis, runny nose and cough. This situation progresses through the respiratory tract and can lead to bronchospasm, trapping of air in the bronchi, mucosal edema and respiratory distress of an asthmatic nature.

The diagnosis is made through a test called skin prick, in which a small amount of mite allergen is applied to the skin of the forearm with a lancet. A visual control is carried out after 15 minutes and, depending on the size of the reaction, the intensity of the allergy is assessed.

The most effective treatment is to avoid contact with the allergen that triggers the condition. Once established, antihistamines and inhaled corticosteroids are highly effective medications for symptom control.

Desensitizing treatments with vaccines manufactured for this purpose (immunotherapy) manage, after repeated injection of minimal doses, to raise immunity and control allergies.

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Prevention measures

Prevention is based on environmental, hygiene, cleaning, ventilation and washing measures.

Allergy to the processionary

The processionary is a lepidoptera, in the caterpillar or larva phase, that parasitizes the pine and is known as the pine caterpillar or processionary caterpillar, due to its habit of always moving in a group, in line or procession.

These caterpillars have a very curious defensive mechanism, when they are disturbed, and which consists of the remote emission of hairy structures called "trichomes" that contain poisons or toxins and when they dig into the skin or conjunctivae, they give rise to allergic reactions in the very striking human, characterized by the appearance of urticaria and/or conjunctivitis.

In spring and early summer, which is the time of greatest activity of these caterpillars, there are frequent cases of allergic reactions, characterized by maculo-papular lesions that are red in color, very itchy and located in contact areas or proximity to the processionary.

Treatment is based on antihistamines and oral corticosteroids. Prevention is to avoid contact with nests and caterpillars.

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allergy to spiders

Spider bites are less frequent in our environment and less serious than those of other insects, and although in other countries there are very poisonous spiders (black widow), in most of the local species their fangs are too fragile and short to penetrate human skin.

The local reaction to the bite is manifested by swelling, pain, redness and intense itching. It will be treated with washing with soap and water and moist compresses at the site of the injury. Antihistamine medications and corticosteroids are sometimes necessary.

insect allergy

Many insects, mosquitoes, wasps, bees, bumblebees, through their sting, can transmit poisonous substances to man that produce, in most cases, pain, discomfort and local itching. But there are others in which, initially or when they were already sensitized, they can give rise to severe allergic reactions, characterized by "anaphylactic shock" that require urgent medical treatment.

Most bites in non-allergic people give rise to swelling, pain and local itching that benefit from the use of local ammonia or antihistamine ointments, calamine, or low-concentration corticosteroids.

But it is important to remember that people who are allergic to the stings of these insects can trigger a serious clinical condition known as "anaphylactic reaction" or shock. This medical emergency is characterized by the sudden presence of:

People who are allergic to the bites of these insects should always carry with them, in risk situations (staying outdoors, in the fields or on the beach in summer and early autumn), a kit or case with adequate equipment and medication (cortisone, adrenaline, bronchodilator) for the urgent treatment of this situation.

Prevention is the best therapy for these accidents. The use of mosquito nets, window grills, appropriate clothing, skin repellents or aerosol insecticides are all useful to avoid them.

"Desensitization" therapies in allergic people, with repeated injections of progressively increasing amounts of the venom of these insects, are usually effective for future control, in most cases.

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watch out for jellyfish

Jellyfish have tentacles with a large number of stinging cells that, when in contact with human skin, give rise to intense itching, stinging, a burning sensation and pain with a subsequent inflammatory reaction and the appearance of vesicular lesions.

What to do in case of a jellyfish sting:

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