Debate: Bedbug or Tick

[French jurist]

No not positive. But if they were fleas wouldn't they be in my clothes too? Or not necessarily.

Also I don't regularly come into contact with animals. In fact in over three months I have only petted two dogs. But I did go to the cat park so.......

Yes, other options are fleas. They rather bite down the legs, near ankles (I don't know why). Fleas can survive and reproduce themselves in a flat I guess.
Could be a STD too (stupid humor but valid question )

 

[LAtoBA]

Yes, other options are fleas. They rather bite down the legs, near ankles (I don't know why). Fleas can survive and reproduce themselves in a flat I guess.
Could be a STD too (stupid humor but valid question )

!! Haha. For the record over 95% of the bites have been on the arms. With one on the neck, maybe one or two on the thigh, and the row of itchy things on my back I got once.

Nothing on the ankles or lower legs ever......or groin area.

 

[French jurist]

Also has anyone figured out the word for "bedbug" in Argentine spanish?

Chinche, Chinche de las camas
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cimex_lectularius

 

[Bajo_cero2]

Ok, now I understand what this insect is.
We do care about sanitation. If you had some experience in hostels about this bedbug this is because another tourist brought them.This is extremely unusual to find them here because they they transmit chagas disease. And here we don´t have any issue about using strong insecticides.
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chagas
So, I insist, the first time in my life I head about it is from you. So, go to Hospital Muñiz which is specialized in infectious disease and show them those picaduras. Regards

 

[French jurist]

Chagas is called http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trypanosomiasis in english.
Transmitted by one of the species (devil bug) of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reduviidae

Maybe is it a bit alarmist though (hoping that's not it)

 

[Bajo_cero2]

I am not alarmist, I just suggest an standard protocol: go to a specialized doctor. However I am alarmed that there could be bedbugs and you are not freaking out.

Bedbugs aren´t normal here Because we really care about to kill them because they are very dangerous because they might transmit some diseases like chagas, not only vinchuca do it:
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinchuca

People usually think that Vinchuca lives in the north and this is a mistake. It lives in 70% of Argentina.

Vinchuca is a local bedbug but not the only one that transmits mal de chagas.

So, just go to the doctor and understand that something that is just a pain in the ass in another country might be an issue here. And this is important that you go there because if you got chagas you need medication. If you take medication is simple, otherwise, you might live Argentina and doctors in other countries won´t be able to a proper diagnosis and chagas is a disease that might kill you.
Here you have info in English.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mal_de_Chagas

Regards

 

[va2ba]

My guess is fleas because fleas jump from area to area and they are to small for you to find unless you look very closely. They would not necesarrily stay in your clothes because when you take off your clothes, most of the times they leave the clothes.

It does sound to me like you might have an allergy to fleas. My dad has allergies to them and thats what happens to him. And you don't need pets to have fleas.

 

[Amargo]

Vinchucas are not really a 'city' insect. They usually live near houses and like to suck blood from domestic animals, notably chickens. Thy are also rather big in comparison to a tick, the few I have seen were some 2-3 cm long.
Fleas are easy to recognise if you see one. And of course they jump. Ticks don't do that.
My guess it is either bichos colorados, if you usually spend time on the park. STop going to the park for some time and see if something different occurs.

 

[billgbg]

Wow, I am amazed that you received this many replies and nobody, but nobody
had the right answer for you.

These are body lice. They bite only in certain areas and get filled with your blood as a result. When you squish them, they pop and expel your blood.
Getting rid of them takes some time. You need all new clothes for awhile and must
take baths daily. This will knock them down, but some may still survive.
Internet has lots of info about them

Good luck.

Bill

 

[LAtoBA]

Wow, I am amazed that you received this many replies and nobody, but nobody
had the right answer for you.

These are body lice. They bite only in certain areas and get filled with your blood as a result. When you squish them, they pop and expel your blood.
Getting rid of them takes some time. You need all new clothes for awhile and must
take baths daily. This will knock them down, but some may still survive.
Internet has lots of info about them

Good luck.

Bill

Body lice????? I don't know about that. I looked up the picture online and the bug I killed didn't look like a body louse. Also I bathe daily, clean my clothes regularly, etc. Body lice is like scabies, associated with people with bad hygiene. And if it was body lice why am I only getting bit in bed? That doesn't make sense. According to what I read body lice lay their eggs in the seams of clothing--I should be getting bit when I'm wearing clothes during the day.

Anyway I was talking to one of my friends and they brought up a good point: The fact the vast majority of bites have been on my arms (also got bit once on my neck and face) and hands, indicated to him that they were mosquitoes. That I wasn't getting bit on my legs because they're covered by a blanket. For the record I sleep with shorts on. I've never gotten bit on my ankles or legs, maybe once on the thighs but I'm not sure. So still confused as ever but I wanted to also mention I have not slept in my bed the last two nights and received no new bites. Though I did use the blanket from my old bed last night but still didn't get bit.

Also my other friends said if it was bedbugs I would be getting bit in a row every night....that I would know because bedbugs are tenacious. The two or three bites every other night in different areas didn't make sense to them.

I think it is safe to say I've completely ruled out ticks and fleas. Still not sure its a bedbugs/mosquito/milk mix, haha.