What’s Eating You? Triatoma and Arilus cristatus Bugs

Members of the Triatoma and Arilus genera (family Reduviidae) often are mistaken as the same arthropod, though their bites have vastly different health implications. Bites of the wheel bug (Arilus cristatus) are painful compared to Triatoma bites, which are painless but can cause disease and result in an anaphylactic reaction, posing a risk to human health because these pliable insects commonly infest residential dwellings. A common dermatologic presentation of bites from Triatoma species and A cristatus is an erythematous pruritic papule that can progress to an urticarial wheal, though the presentation can differ from patient to patient. Treatment depends on whether the reaction is localized or systemic, ranging from topicals to systemic agents if anaphylaxis occurs.