Chiggers are tiny mites that live in areas with grass or brush.
Chiggers, also known as red bugs or harvest mites, usually cannot be seen
without a magnifying glass.
Chiggers attach to skin pores and feed on skin cells for a few
days, most often in the warm creases of the body. In the United States chiggers
do not cause any diseases; however, some types of chiggers in Asia and the
Pacific carry a disease called scrub typhus.
Chigger bites can result in:
- Intense itching at the bite site beginning a
few hours after the bite. Itching may be at its worst on the second day and may
last for days or weeks.
- A raised bump that gets bigger over 24 to
48 hours and may be present for up to 14 days.
- Less commonly, fever
and a rash.
Home treatment can help relieve itching. The mites will fall off
the body within a few days.
