injuries poisoning
Insect Stings
Symptoms and Signs of Insect Stings
Local apid and vespid reactions are immediate burning, transient pain, and itching, with an area of erythema, swelling, and induration up to a few centimeters across. Swelling and erythema usually peak at 48 hours, can persist for a week, and can involve an entire extremity. This local chemical cellulitis is often confused with secondary bacterial cellulitis, which is more painful and uncommon after envenomation. Allergic reactions may manifest with urticaria, angioedema, bronchospasm, refractory hypotension, or a combination; swelling alone is not a manifestation of allergic reaction. Symptoms and signs of a fire ant sting are immediate pain followed by a wheal and flare lesion, which often resolves within 45 minutes and gives rise to a sterile pustule, which breaks down within 30 to 70 hours. The lesion sometimes becomes infected and can lead to Sepsis and Septic Shock . In some cases, an edematous, erythematous, and pruritic lesion, rather than a pustule, develops. 