A walk in the woods, picking flowers in a meadow, or working in the garden can all be enough for a grass mite bite. The changing climate over the past few decades, as well as the wrong behaviors during walks, make it easy for parasites to find victims. In search of a protein-rich food, they bite humans and animals.
What is a grass mite bite?
The arachnids live in the soil where they lay their eggs and the larvae hatch in the summer. It is the orange-red larvae, not the adult grass mites, that are responsible for the bites. In warm weather, the larvae, which are about 0.3 millimeters in size, come to the surface. The mites and larvae are very small and cannot be seen with the naked eye. They gather in bright and slightly moist places, for example on meadows and in gardens. For their further development, the larvae need humans and animals as hosts. The grass mite bite primarily affects the ankles, back of the knees, loins and armpits. The larvae have a biting tool with which they penetrate the skin. During the grass mite bite, an enzyme contained in the saliva of the animals enters the wound and dissolves the top layer of skin. This leads to nodules and wheals, some of which appear hours after the grass mite bite. The itching, which is triggered in the same way, can also become more intense three days later and last for up to two weeks. The grass mite bite itself is not noticed by the affected person, as the mouthparts penetrate only fractions of a millimeter. The animals feed on lymphatic fluid and cell sap, not blood.
Causes
Grass mites, also known as autumn grass mites, fall grass mites, and harvest mites, sneak up on their little legs to their victims, which are warm-blooded humans and animals. The larvae perch in colonies on blades of grass, in brush or on the ground. When a living creature passes by that has optimal operating temperatures of about 30 to 40° Celsius, the larvae settle on the host. They usually get onto the feet, from which they migrate up the legs and bite into suitable places. There, the grass mite bite causes an unbearable itch. The larvae like to choose pleasant places, which include warm and humid areas, for example, the edges of socks, the waistband of pants, underwear, armpits. Once the larvae have gorged themselves to about three times their size during the grass mite bite, they drop. Over the next four to six weeks, they transform into a nymph.
Symptoms, complaints, and signs
Redness appears a few hours after the grass mite bite, so it is often mistaken for mosquito bites. A typical symptom is severe itching. Due to the increased scratching, inflammation often occurs. Therefore, it is important not to scratch open the wheals. The bite site can be disinfected with a cotton ball soaked in alcohol. Soothing ointments help against the itching. Itching can last up to 14 days, but is most severe in the first three days. The grass mite bite develops into reddish, usually slightly swollen pustules that contain small water blisters.
Course
Anyone who discovers numerous bites on the body after spending time outdoors, in some cases about 200 bites and in rows next to each other, as well as suffering from severe itching, has probably been bitten by grass mites. Here it is necessary to pay attention to the mentioned places, which grass mites mainly choose. Special treatment is not necessary, as is the case with fleas and lice, because the larvae do not linger very long on the skin, but are gone after a few hours. The symptoms are unpleasant, but the mite itself is harmless. It does not suck blood, does not transmit diseases and, moreover, no transmission from person to person is possible.
Complications
As a rule, the grass mite bite causes various infections and inflammations in the patient’s body. The affected areas are reddened and affected by itching. The itching continues to intensify when the patient scratches the affected area. In most cases, the itching continues for two weeks after the bite and may cause discomfort. However, there are no further complications or discomfort. On the third day after the bite, the discomfort is most severe and can thus reduce the patient’s quality of life.The grass mite bite is not treated by a doctor and also does not lead to a reduced life expectancy. After the discomfort and itching subside, there are no further complications. The affected person can treat the grass mite bite himself with simple home remedies, limiting the pain and itching. If unbearable itching or infection has occurred, treatment can be done with the help of antibiotics or by using creams and ointments. Treatment of the grass mite bite always leads to a positive course of the disease.
When should you go to the doctor?
In the normal case of a grass mite bite, it is not necessary to see a doctor. The use of insect repellents, applied repeatedly to the affected area after a sting or bite, can provide significant relief. The medications can be purchased over-the-counter at pharmacies and drugstores. If no further complications occur, the bite site heals completely within a few weeks and the patient is free of symptoms. A visit to the doctor is necessary as soon as inflammation of the entry site occurs. Pathogens can enter the organism via the open wounds and lead to further diseases. Therefore, a doctor should be consulted as soon as pus formation, fever or enlargement of the wound occurs. If the itching of the grass mite bite leads to severe problems in everyday life or psychological abnormalities, a doctor should be asked for help. If allergic reactions occur, it is also advisable to consult a doctor. If there is severe swelling at the bite site, fever, sweating, or redness spreads unusually far, a doctor should be consulted. For people who have problems with locomotion due to the grass mite bite, a doctor’s visit is needed immediately. If there is numbness, severe sensitivity problems, gait unsteadiness or pain, a doctor must be consulted.
Treatment and therapy
The skin lesions from the grass mite bite can be treated locally with an alcohol poultice or an antipruritic ointment for disinfection. Dabbing with vinegar or lemon juice is also possible. Salt water is also a proven remedy. Envelopes with cottage cheese from the refrigerator can also reduce the itching to a tolerable level. In addition, tablets containing the active ingredient cetirizine are available over the counter at pharmacies. An antihistamine must usually be taken to counteract the itching. In severe cases, the doctor may also prescribe a cortisone ointment. Worn clothes should be washed and showering and vacuuming the apartment are also advisable.
Outlook and prognosis
Grass mites are harmless parasites whose bites do not usually cause serious health problems. If a grass mite bite is cooled immediately and treated with a disinfectant, inflammation, itching and co. will subside within a few days. Medical treatment is usually not necessary. Only allergy sufferers should seek medical advice, as further allergic reactions may develop. An allergic reaction will also subside quickly if the patient seeks treatment at the doctor’s office and does not scratch open the bite site. If the injury becomes infected, a serious infection may result. Possible subsequent symptoms include pain and redness. Rarely, the inflammation is carried to surrounding tissue layers, which may cause further discomfort depending on the body region. In general, however, grass mite bites promise a positive prognosis. The only danger is the development of scars. People who are repeatedly exposed to grass mites, for example harvest workers or vacationers in tropical regions, may suffer permanent skin lesions. Very rarely, the larvae remain in the body after the bite and lay eggs there. This can cause various complications such as skin damage or gastrointestinal problems.
Prevention
To avoid a grass mite bite, closed clothing and high footwear, such as rubber boots, should be worn. Socks can be worn over long pants. However, all of this is uncomfortable in midsummer. Therefore, before going out into nature, it is advisable to rub yourself with an insect repellent. The clothes can also be treated with it. Those who have lain in a meadow should take a shower and also change their clothes.Textiles that have been worn in the garden, including underwear, should be removed, if possible, before entering the apartment. If you want to determine whether your garden is infested with grass mites, you can lay out a white leaf on the lawn on sunny days.
Aftercare
With a grass mite bite, no special type of aftercare is usually possible or necessary. The patient can usually have this bite treated relatively easily by a doctor, so there are no special complications or other limitations or discomforts. Treatment with self-help means is also possible in this case, so that a doctor does not always have to be consulted. First and foremost, however, in the case of a grass mite bite, the source of the mites should be avoided. The affected person should not stay in the respective areas and protect himself from the mites in any case. In most cases, the discomfort can be relieved relatively well with the help of curd or with the help of salt water. However, if the grass mite bite causes shock or severe symptoms, a doctor must be consulted in any case. In this case, the treatment of the bite is carried out with the help of medication. The bite wounds can also be treated with a cream. Regular application is to be ensured in order to alleviate the discomfort. The clothes should be washed as soon as possible, so that the mites could not work themselves out. As a rule, the life expectancy of the affected person is not reduced by the grass mite bite.
This is what you can do yourself
In the case of the grass mite bite, some means of self-help are available to the affected person. As a rule, the discomfort does not last long, but it can be very unpleasant on various parts of the body. Since the grass mite bite causes severe itching, scratching should be avoided at all costs. This will only intensify the itching and slow down the healing process. Above all, parents must make their children aware not to scratch at the bite. The itching can be relieved by creams or ointments from the drugstore and pharmacy. Likewise, lemon juice, salt water or onion juice will relieve the itching and can speed healing. In severe cases, ointments with cortisone can also be used or an antihistamine can be taken. Nie oil can also help against the symptoms of the grass mite bite. This is applied to the affected area and can also accelerate the healing process. To avoid the grass mite bite, closed clothing should always be worn for protection. High shoes or boots can also prevent the mites from entering. If the mites have entered the bed, the bedding should be washed at least 60 degrees in the washing machine.
