THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 23, 1996 TAG: 9606200158
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 33 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Jack Dempsey
LENGTH: 71 lines
Ants, bedbugs, bees, chiggers, fleas, flies, gnats, hornets, mosquitos, spiders, wasps and yellow jackets. Now, there's a motley crew.
It's an unusual visitor to the beach who doesn't experience a memorable bite from at least one of these feisty creatures.
Fortunately, most of their bites produce no serious or lasting problems for the vacationer, according to Dr. Ellyn Meshel, staff physician at the Outer Banks Medical Center.
The bite site may sting, however. And the itching has ruined many a night's sleep. For quick relief, any of the hydrocortisone creams, such as Cortaid, bring the discomfort down to a tolerable level.
Ice also helps, especially with swelling. Many visitors report some relief from oatmeal or cornmeal or baking soda paste, especially after all the nearby pharmacies have closed.
Don't scratch. But do remove any stingers still in the bite site.
Finally and especially if scratching has opened the bite site, clean it thoroughly. Apply some antibiotic cream (such as Neosporin) to prevent local infections.
That's the good news. The bad news is that 10-15 percent of the population is allergic to venomous bites from five common, self-defending insects. Bees, wasps, hornets, fire ants and yellow jackets comprise this quintet of well-armed little warriors.
So take an allergic reaction seriously.
In anywhere from a few minutes to an hour, it may induce shock that occasionally is fatal. Sometimes a delayed reaction may occur over the next several days.
Watch for any of these symptoms: swelling around the eyes or lips or tongue, difficulty breathing, hives, numbness, cramping, nausea or vomiting.
Dr. Meshel advises immediate medical attention at the first sign of an allergic reaction since the bitten person may go into shock in a very short time. Typical treatment includes antihistimine and adrenaline medication. It is usually very effective.
Persons who know they are allergic to insect bites should ask their doctors about an Anakit or EpiPen prescription. These kits contains the medications sensitive persons may need in an emergency.
Some good news and some bad news about spiders, which are arachnids, not insects. Fortunately, most types of spiders have mild venoms, so that their itchy bites can be relieved at home as described above.
However, both the black widow spider and the brown recluse spider are common on the Outer Banks. They produce venoms that may rival the insect quintet's in danger. But their bites are less frequent than insect bites.
The adult female black widow spider, the more venomous of the pair, shows a red, hourglass-shaped marking on its black underside. The brown recluse has a dark, fiddle-shaped marking on its head.
The black widow (1/2 inch body length) usually resides outdoors in any sort of nook or cranny. The brown recluse (1/4 to 1/2 inch body length) is more frequently found indoors in shoes, cardboard boxes, folds of clothing and between sheets.
The venom may produce a general reaction in minutes to hours with symptoms including nausea, fever, chills, listlessness or stiffness. You'll know it if you get it.
The venom may also, in sensitive persons, produce an allergic reaction like the insect quintet's above.
If you know, or even have reason to suspect, you have been bitten by either of these two spiders, use ice and local care as above, and seek immediate medical care. If possible, take the spider with you for identification.
Although bites by these two spiders are seldom fatal, they can make you very ill. Fortunately, according to Dr. Meshel, they usually respond well to early treatment.
Overall, maintain perspective. Most of the time you'll just itch. MEMO: Jack Dempsey has a doctorate in public health from Johns Hopkins
University and has published two books on health care. His columns are
based on interviews with area health care providers. by CNB