Powers Jim, Syed Hasnain A., McDowell Rachel H.
Campbell Univ. School of Osteopathic Med
Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore
The term “bug bite” commonly refers to bites and stings inflicted by the members of the phylum Arthropoda. Arthropods comprise the largest division of the animal kingdom, accounting for approximately 80% of all known animal species. Their defining characteristics include an exoskeleton, jointed appendages, and a body composed of specialized regional segments. The 4 medically significant classes of arthropods include Chilopoda, Diplopoda, Insecta, and Arachnida. Among these, Insecta, representing more than half of all living organisms, and Arachnida exert the greatest clinical impact on humans. Erythematous and edematous eruptions, along with other dermatologic findings such as papules and urticaria, represent the most common clinical manifestations of arthropod bites and stings. In some cases, delivery of toxic venom can produce significant systemic reactions, including autonomic instability, neurotoxicity, and organ failure. Acute anaphylactic reactions may be rapidly fatal, most commonly due to angioedema or circulatory collapse, thereby making rapid recognition and administration of epinephrine critical in these cases. The most clinically significant consequence of arthropod bites, however, is their role as vectors for numerous bacterial, viral, and protozoal diseases.
“虫咬”一词通常用于指代节肢动物门成员造成的叮咬和蜇刺。节肢动物构成动物界最大的类别，约占所有已知动物的80%。其定义特征包括存在外骨骼、分节附肢以及由专门的区域节段组成的身体。医学上重要的四类节肢动物是唇足纲、倍足纲、昆虫纲和蛛形纲。其中，占所有生物一半以上的昆虫和蛛形纲动物对人类的临床影响最大。红斑和水肿性皮疹以及丘疹和荨麻疹等其他皮肤病学表现是节肢动物叮咬和蜇刺最常见的临床表现。在某些情况下，注入有毒毒液可导致严重的全身反应，包括自主神经功能不稳定、神经毒性和器官衰竭。过敏反应的急性发作可能迅速致命，最常见的原因是血管性水肿或循环衰竭。在这些情况下，迅速识别并用肾上腺素进行治疗至关重要。节肢动物叮咬在临床上最显著的影响是它们作为多种细菌、病毒和原生动物疾病载体的能力。
