Good news, Chicagoland: you might have itch mites

nobugsonme — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 04:46:26 +0000

Good news for some “newbites” in Chicago. If you suspect bed bugs, but have no evidence yet, and you’ve been spending time in area forest preserves, you may have itch mites. No, they’re no picnic, of course, but they would be a darn sight better experience than bed bugs.

There’s currently an outbreak there, and a hundred people have reported itchy red welts at area emergency rooms in the last week. Here’s a news clip from the Chicago Tribune.

Itch mite bites last 10-14 days and itch mites will not infest your person or your home. If you have not spent time in a wooded area, or if you have other signs of bed bugs, or if your bites persist beyond the next two weeks or continue to get worse (without you visiting the forest preserves again), you should be very proactive about seeking an experienced PCO who can inspect for bed bugs. Itch mites are a very specific condition, so read the article and watch the video and consider whether that’s a likely culprit.

We don’t normally report on “other conditions” here at bedbugger.com. But in the last few days, participants on the forums have reported visiting doctors who claimed to have the same itchy welts. And I was starting to worry bed bugs in Chicago were even more widespread than I had thought! Well, at least in many cases, it appears to be another cause.

But consider this: at least some of those 100 emergency room visitors will doubtless be suffering from bed bugs and thinking they have itch mites. Be alert, and proceed with caution.

Got bed bugs? Bedbugger.com » itch mites

Good news, Chicagoland: you might have itch mites