How Does a Chigger Bite Affect the Body?

If you live in the southern part of the United States, you're probably all too familiar with chiggers. The term chiggers actually refers to the microscopic larvae of the harvest mite, which are parasitic during that portion of their life cycle. Chiggers like to live in tall grasses, weeds and bushes, and when an unsuspecting host comes along, they crawl on. They feed off of a large number of different hosts, including humans and dogs, and are most active in the warm summer months. In the United States, chigger bites aren't dangerous, but they can make life miserable for awhile.

Chiggers really don't bite in the true sense of the word. Instead, they inject the host body with digestive enzymes, so that they can feed off the skin cells. This fluid also keeps the blood from clotting, leading to inflammation in the form of a red bump with a white center. Chiggers don't drink blood or burrow under the skin,either, but a small hole is formed as they digest cells, so that they can continue to feed on the inner portion of the skin. The fluids injected by the chigger also cause severe itching and skin irritation, such as hives or a rash. In the United States, the effect of chigger bites remains localized to the skin, but in other countries like Japan, chiggers can carry a disease called scrub typhus, which leads to more systemic symptoms and illness.

Chiggers affect the body more when they are allowed to remain feeding on skin tissue, so prompt treatment is critical to reduce discomfort. The best way to prevent chiggers from biting in the first place is to wear protective clothing when going outside during the warm summer months, or use an effective bug repellent. Once chiggers are on the skin, promptly scrubbing with soap and water helps removes them, preventing any further irritation.