What To Do If Bitten By An Assassin Bug
What Should You Do Immediately After an Assassin Bug Bite?
The first step is simple:
Clean the area.
Wash the bite gently with soap and clean water.
This removes dirt and other material from the skin and helps reduce the risk of a secondary infection.
Try not to scratch the bite, even if it becomes itchy.
For ordinary insect-bite irritation, measures such as hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion can help relieve itching.
A Simple First-Aid Checklist
After a suspected bite:
- Wash the area with soap and clean water.
- Avoid scratching.
- Use a cool compress if the area is swollen or uncomfortable.
- Consider an appropriate anti-itch treatment if needed.
- Watch the area for worsening redness, warmth, swelling, or pain.
- If you believe the insect was a triatomine bug, make a note of where and when the exposure happened.
You don’t need to panic.
You do want to pay attention.
The Important Question: Was It a Triatomine Bug?
This is where the situation becomes more specific.
Not every assassin bug carries Trypanosoma cruzi, and not every bite from a triatomine bug results in Chagas disease.
The CDC explains that Chagas disease usually spreads when infected triatomine bug feces come into contact with a person’s body—particularly when the feces are rubbed into a bite wound or enter the eyes or mouth.
In other words, the bite itself isn’t the whole story.
The insect’s feces are an important part of the transmission process.
Don’t Rub Your Eyes or Mouth After Handling the Bug
This is an easy precaution that makes sense whenever you’re dealing with an unfamiliar insect.
If you’ve handled the insect or its surroundings, wash your hands thoroughly before touching your face, eating, or drinking.
The CDC specifically notes that Chagas transmission can occur if infected triatomine feces enter an open wound, the eyes, or the mouth.
And if you see insect material around a suspected bite, don’t deliberately rub or scratch it into the skin.
Wash the area instead.
