View Full Version : Chigger bites, INFECTION, mutating bacteria
I have 23 chigger bites I got from landscaping...didn't even have a wilderness experience. After the job was completed, I took a hot shower with anti-bacterial soap and cleaned the bites with alcohol.
Within 12 hours of chigger bites, 1 of the bites developed a rip-roaring secondary bacterial infection--swollen, feverish at the bite site, and bright red extending about 2 inches from the bite site. Within 24 hours, same symptoms were beginning at 4 more bites.
Went to the doctor, who gave me antibiotics.
Anyone else have this experience?
The same thing happened last summer, so this is my second go-round. Learned my lesson: always use deet.
My question is this: when I was a kid, I was covered with chigger bites every summer, but never had an infection. Now that I'm 48, chiggers send me running to the doctor for antibiotic. Is this because bacteria have wised up to our use of antibiotics and mutated to be stronger in the 21st Century? What do y'all think?
Sounds like to me you just need to move. I went to hobbs cabin in TN last summer and got into some chiggars really bad and when I got home to CO. no one here knew what chiggars where. I had a hard time finding some chiggar X. No chiggars out here.
leeki pole
06-24-2009, 10:12
My wife loves blackberries in her cereal. Blackberries are plentiful this year. So as a labor of love, I pick her fresh blackberries every morning and the chiggers eat me up. Oh well, it's two weeks if you don't scratch no matter how bad it itches. That's probably what happened to you, you scratched the bites and had some bacteria under your nails from the dirt work.
sherrill
06-24-2009, 10:29
We have chiggers here in central NC pretty bad. I put on bug spray before I go out to do heavy duty work in the yard. Works for me.
Google them and you'll find some pretty good stuff that contains sulfur that can be used as a repellent, but some folks can't stand the smell.
sherrill
06-24-2009, 10:31
Whoops, meant to add in reference to your post: I've always had a bad reaction, but nothing like you've had. Just infected from scratching too heavily.
JokerJersey
06-24-2009, 10:46
My girlfriend has horrible reactions to all kinds of bites. Three weeks ago, we went out and she got something on her, either plant based or insect bites. Within 2 days, they pretty much turned into what you are talking about. By day 4, she was getting light-headed and running a fever. Day 5, she went to the doctor, even though I had been asking her to go since day 2. Doctor gave her some meds and some cream to put on it. Three weeks later, the bites have gone down a lot and have healed considerably, but they are still there. Seems she just reacts very badly to certain things. One good thing is that she isn't deathly allergic to bees.
On the other hand, I was in the same area as her, doing the same things and only wound up with a tiny cluster of bites on my wrist and one on my ankle that both were gone within 3 days, with minimal itching that I took care of with some Benadryl cream.
You might have actually developed an allergy to them since you were a child. It can and does happen, so it might be something you want to get tested for. Then again, it could be what others have said, scratching bites with dirty hands.
Interestingly, there was no way I could have scratched the bites with dirty hands as I was wearing thick denim jeans. However, the worst infected areas were right behind my knees on both legs. and squating down compressed the bites could have irritated them. Another infected area was at my waist where the waist band rubbed my skin.
The doctor said that chiggers produce an enzyme that causes skin tissue to form a tiny open tube from the skin's surface that leaves a small open pathway through several layers of skin. He said that chiggers leave an "open wound," unlike mosquitos. This tube allows bacteria to enter, and will be open for several days until the body absorbs it. He advised always putting a dab of Vaseline on chigger bites to "seal up" the open tube, and reapply every few hours. Once the Vaseline is on, put Neosporin (or the like) on top of the Vaseline.
Blissful
06-24-2009, 12:05
Not sure what it is but when my son gets stung by a bee, he gets a whopping infection and has to go on antibiotics. Best measure is to pretreat your clothing and avoid getting bit in the first place if possible.
Also, I put clear nail polish on bites.
The doctor said that chiggers produce an enzyme that causes skin tissue to form a tiny open tube from the skin's surface that leaves a small open pathway through several layers of skin. He said that chiggers leave an "open wound," unlike mosquitos. This tube allows bacteria to enter, and will be open for several days until the body absorbs it. He advised always putting a dab of Vaseline on chigger bites to "seal up" the open tube, and reapply every few hours. Once the Vaseline is on, put Neosporin (or the like) on top of the Vaseline.
That actually makes sense. See you can learn stuff on WB.
BipolarStroller
06-24-2009, 17:26
I was always told to use clear fingernail polish. Dab it on right away and keep dabing it, it's supposed to sufficate them. If not there is an all natural ointment called "sting soothe" by quantum, I get mine from the health food co-op, but Crumb hates the smell of it, so be warned, if you don't like tea tree oil, that's what it smells like.....
JokerJersey
06-24-2009, 17:43
Just to clear this up...
Myths About Chiggers
One of the biggest myths or misconceptions about chiggers is that they can burrow under your skin and drink your blood. This leads to the common treatment for chiggers of putting clear nail polish on chigger bites to suffocate the chiggers. Since chiggers don't actually burrow under your skin, this 'treatment' is unnecessary.
Treatments for Chigger Bites
While nail polish isn't a good treatment for chigger bites, anything that can help control the itching can be helpful, including:
take a bath or shower as soon as possible after any possible exposure to chiggers
apply your favorite OTC anti-itch medication, such as hydrocortisone, Calamine lotion, Sarna, oatmeal baths, etc.
oral Benadryl
a prescription strength steroid cream
From http://pediatrics.about.com/od/dermatologytopics/a/06_chiggers.htm
Up until about a year ago, I thought the whole burrowing thing was true too, since that was what my parents had always told me. What JAdk says is true in that they digest your skin cells and leave an open tube in which bateria can get in, so covering the hole with vaseline or nail polish can prevent infection, but won't smother anything, since there is nothing to smother.
leeki pole
06-24-2009, 18:02
I've had good luck with Absorbine Jr. applied directly to the bites. It seems to dry them up pretty quickly.
Mighty Mouse
06-24-2009, 18:12
I've had good success treating chiggers with Chigger-Rid. It is kept by pharmacists, but does not require a prescription. You simply need to ask for it at the pharmacy counter. Anyone I've recommended this treatment to has also had good results with it. Good luck - chiggers are a real PITA.
kayak karl
06-24-2009, 18:23
can't tell me anything! the pines are a killer for chiggers.:(
Dances with Mice
06-24-2009, 19:26
chiggers are a real PITA.You need to be much more careful where you sit.
can't tell me anything! the pines are a killer for chiggers.:(
That is NO joke. If my kids were to get chiggers like that I would die. Hell if I got them like that I would still die.
kayak karl
06-24-2009, 19:58
That is NO joke. If my kids were to get chiggers like that I would die. Hell if I got them like that I would still die.
that was just my feet. took me 4 months to recover. the nightmares still haven't ended.:eek:
boarstone
06-24-2009, 20:30
Okay, I'll "bite"...what is a chigger? See...I'm from Maine and about to visit NC....do i need to be concerned? Or will my black fly/ mosquito exposure spare me?
boarstone
06-24-2009, 20:34
never mind...I did a search on the little buggers....and ya know what? I DON"T think I'd like'm...to much like bedbugs to me, or fleas...
kayak karl
06-24-2009, 20:43
never mind...I did a search on the little buggers....and ya know what? I DON"T think I'd like'm...to much like bedbugs to me, or fleas...
they look like red pepper. and attack in the nite.
They like to attack the crouch area.
kayak karl
06-24-2009, 21:38
They like to attack the crouch area.
on the dunes on the jersey coast, chiggers are very active. many people use the dunes to relieve themselves. the chiggers know this:D. so does every coastal pharmacy:D.
Kayakado
08-28-2009, 12:48
I am still alive and well. I haven't had any chigger encounters for awhile, but I used to use cat flea and tick shampoo on them and us. It worked great. We figured the cat stuff would be safer since the cats are more likely to ingest some of it. I wouldn't try the canine stuff, since it would make the cat sick.
The cats used to get horrible infestations of chiggers on the head and in their ears and we found they could transfer them to us.
I got 5 chigger bites last week from mowing my lawn. I got real mad and went to Lowes and bought some "Bayer advance complete insect killer" and nuked the entire lawn with that stuff. :D
Panzer
(taking no prisioners)
Jonnycat
08-28-2009, 19:03
I took a hot shower with anti-bacterial soap and cleaned the bites with alcohol.
Anti-bacterial soap is the devil. Wiping bites lighly with 70% isopropyl is a good idea, though.
Les Rust
08-28-2009, 19:40
I've been around blackberries and brush most of my life; had more chiggers than I could count. The rememdy that has always worked well for me was to come home and run a nice hot tub of bathwater with epsom salts; soaking in that for a little bit seems to take the edge off anything a chigger can do. It's less expensive than all the nail polish or pharmecuetical treatments; and besides that, anything I've done that got me close to chiggers seemed to involve hard work--the bath feels good as a bonus!
skinewmexico
08-28-2009, 22:44
I vote allergy.
Chiggers love waist bands, sock band area, armpits, privates etc. I use deet now for ticks and that must repel chiggers too. Before, the clear nail polish does work with a few chigger bites. Except for that picture of Kyak Karl. I have never seen anything like that. Ever.
can't tell me anything! the pines are a killer for chiggers.:(
Plan "B". use DEET from now on.
Panzer