Sunday, March 13, 2016

Answer to Case 389

Answer: Human Bed bug (Cimex sp.)

This case shows the characteristic features of a bed bug, including the flattened body, brown-red color, segmented abdomen, vestigial wings (wing pads), and setae (hair-like structures covering the body).


The 2 species of bed bugs that are most commonly implicated in human infestations are Cimex lectularis, the common bed bug, and C. hemipterus, the tropical bed bug. Rarely, humans can also be incidental hosts of Cimex species of bats and birds, especially when the natural hosts are in or living near human dwellings. It is important to differentiate human and zoonotic bed bugs, since the management is usually different. The best way to do this is by examining the length of the setae. Human bed bugs have setae that are shorter than the width of the eye, while bat and bird bed bugs have setae that are longer than the width of the eye. You can appreciate this somewhat in this case:


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