Hematological changes in mice exposed to biting of the bedbug: Cimex lectularius L. [Hemiptera: Cimicidae]

ABSTRACT

The studies on hematologic changes in humans or animals as a result of bedbug bites are lacking. This study was undertaken to examine changes in the blood picture of mice [Mus musculus] exposed to Cimex lectularius biting. As compared to the check animals, mice exposed to bedbug bites either once or twice within 7 days showed insignificantly higher WBC's [1.6 and 2.8% increase, respectively] and lower HGB content [0.5 and 0.8% decrease, respectively] and significantly higher PLT's [P<0.01] by 2.2% and 3.0%, respectively. Significantly higher [P<0.01] RBC's counts in mice bitten once than those of normal animals or those exposed to twice bites [5.3 and 5.9% increase, respectively]. Bedbug biting exerts its effects largely upon the differential WBC's. Mice bitten once or twice showed significantly lower number of neutrophils [1.2% and 12.1% decrease, respectively] than those for normal animals. Mice exposed to twice bites showed significantly [P<0.01] higher numbers of lymphocyte [18.8%], monocyte [13.6%], eosinophil [200.0%] and basophil [500%] than those of normal mice