ABSTRACT
Bites by arthropods can be as medically significant as stings, especially for hypersensitive individuals. If a patient recalls no insect or arachnid exposure, arthropod bites may pose frequent difficulty in diagnosis; however, bites should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any patient complaining of itching. Arthropod bites basically consist of punctures made by the mouthparts of bloodsucking insects; the actual mechanical injury to human skin is generally minimal; however, in the case of horse flies, there may be more tissue damage owing to their slashing–lapping feeding method and their large size. Insect mouthparts, at least in the medically important species, can be generally divided into three broad categories: biting and chewing, sponging, and piercing–sucking. By far the most lesions on human skin are produced by the host’s immune reactions to the offending arthropod salivary secretions or venom.
