ARTHROPODS - INSECTA

SPECIES EPIDEMIOLOGY TRANSMISSION DIAGNOSIS TREATMENT DISEASE/CLINICAL PREVENTION

FEATURES
Head louse - worldwide Head to head Finding live nymph OTC- Itchiness Avoid head to head
pediculus humanus - often in contact or adult louse on pyrethrins Reduce host life contact
capitis preschool and During play scalp combined with expectancy Do not share
elementary age Fomites (less piperonyl Pediculosis clothing
(skin) children common) butoxide Do not share
Permethrin combs, brushes or
lotion towel
Prescription Vacuum the floor
Age<6: and furniture
Benzyl Do not lie on stuffed
alcohol animals
lotion
Ivermectin
lotion
Age>6: Malathion
lotion

Body/clothes louse - Worldwide Direct contact - Finding eggs and Pediculicide Severe itching Bathe regularly
Pediculus humanus - Crowding and Person to person crawling lice in - Retreatment Scratching Machine wash and
corporis poor hygiene seams of clothing - Not necessary if Sores and 2ndary dry infested
(skin) hygiene is bact infection clothing
- Finding body maintained and Reduce host life Do not share
louse crawling or items are laundered expectancy clothing, beds and
feeding on skin appropriately towels used by
infected person
Mansonia spp. southern U.S., Brugia malayi Serologic enzyme - ivermectin and Brugian filariasis - Wear long sleeves and
Central, and immunoassay albendazole trousers
(skin) South America tests, microscopic - Use mosquito
identification repellent
- Sleep under a
mosquito net.

Flea Worldwide Primary vector for - Fever >38 Rickettsia Rashes due to allergic - controlled humidity,
Ctenocephalides yersinia pestis - Rash diseases reactions to temperature and
canis (plague) - Eschar (doxycycline) components in flea vacuuming
- Antihistamines saliva
(skin) Lymphadenopathy Hydrocortisone
associated with Calamine lotion
eschar

Blackfly - Flowing water Onchocerca Subcutaneous filariasis

and bush volvulus (Onchocerca volvulus,
(skin) - Beaches and at Mansonella ozzardi,
the edges of Dirofilarial ursi)
lakes or swamps
- onchocerciasis
Anopheles spp. Worldwide Plasmodium spp. Diagnosis of Antimalarial drugs Malaria - high fevers,
malaria - shaking chills
(liver) - flu-like illness.

Phlebotomine - Flowing water Leishmania - blood sample or - do not rub or - leishmaniasis - cover up especially
sandfly and bush parasite skin biopsy for scratch - allergic reaction when sitting or standing
- Beaches and at - bite leishmaniasis - antihistamine - stay indoor as
(liver) the edges of cream sandflies rarely bite
lakes or swamps - Calamine lotion indoors or after dark
- tropical and
subtropical env.

Pubic/crab louse - Worldwide Person-to-person Finding a crab - Lice-killing lotion Itchiness All sexual contacts
Pthirus pubis - Found in head by sexual contact louse or eggs on containing 1% (pruritis) of infested person
or eyelash of with infected pubic hair permethrin Reduce host should be examined
(genital) children maybe person - Malathion life Do not share
an indication of - oral ivermectin expectancy clothing etc
sexual exposure No disease
or abuse

Kissing bug Americas Trypanosoma blood smear by - treatment for Chagas - Seal cracks and gaps
cruzi microscopic chagas disease disease/american - Keep chicken coops
(heart) examination - calamine lotion trypanosomiasis and other animal cages
away
- Turn off outdoor lights
near the house at night
- Clean your dog or cat
indoor beds
Tset tse fly - Mid- Trypanosoma Diagnosis of Treatment for African - Wear protective
continental brucei trypanosoma T.brucei trypanosomiasis clothing
(brain) Africa - bite brucei Sleeping sickness - wear neutral-colored
- Between clothing
sahara and - avoid bushes
Kalahari deserts

Culex spp. on the surface Mosquito- detect virus- No specific - fever - Use insect repellent
of fresh or transmitted virus specific IgM treatments - headache - Wear long-sleeved
(brain) stagnant water. - bite antibodies - doxycycline - Japanese shirts and pants
encephalitis (brain
inflammation)
 ARTHROPODS ARACHNIDA
Scorpions - Sharp, unpleasant
stings, most of which
(heart,brain,lungs) usually leave redness
around the stung

- anaphylaxis

Spiders Pain from non-

venomous spider bites
(skin,brain,heart) lasts for 5-60 mins

Mites Worldwide No disease Identification of - Avoid scratching Inflammation due to - insecticide spraying
- bite adults or nymphs - antihistamine allergic reactions to - regular inspection for
(Skin) collected in - Antiseptic creams components in mites signs of infestation
sheltered area saliva
where the
patient was -rusty-colored blood
bitten spots on furniture

- bed bugs
of mattresses
Ticks Worldwide - Babesiosis Identify non- No specific treatment - tick paralysis (can - use repellent with
- lyme disease engorged adults - removal of ticks result in death if not DEET
(skin,brain,lungs) - human removed) - avoid wooded and
granulocytic - by toxins in ticks bushy areas
ehrlichiosis saliva - bathe or shower ASAP
- encephalitis