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November 22, 2009
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 Bed Bugs Main Article |  Glossary |  Bed Bugs Index 

Bed Bugs Glossary of Terms

The following are health and medical definitions of terms that appear in the Bed Bugs article.

Aerosol: 1. In general, a fine mist or spray which contains minute particles.
2. In medicine, a spray administered by a nebulizer and inhaled for treatment.
3. In medicine, a mist that causes disease as, for example, the hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
4. In the environment, particles emitted into the air naturally as in volcanic eruptions and through human action such as burning fossil fuel.
5. In the environment, the pressurized gas used to propel substances out of a container.
See the entire definition of Aerosol

Bed bug: A blood-sucking bug in the Cimex family that lives hidden in bedding or furniture, coming out at night to bite their victims.
See the entire definition of Bed bug

Bed bugs: Bed bugs are small, oval, wingless insects of the family Cimicidae, which have a flat, reddish-brown body and feed on human and animal blood. Bed bugs are active at night and bite any areas of exposed skin. Bed bugs can infest a home and hide in crevices or cracks around beds or furniture. While some bites may go unnoticed, bed bug bites may also result in localized swelling and itching, and the areas may become inflamed or infected when scratched. Bed bugs are not believed to transmit diseases to humans.

Blood: The familiar red fluid in the body that contains white and red blood cells, platelets, proteins, and other elements. The blood is transported throughout the body by the circulatory system. Blood functions in two directions: arterial and venous. Arterial blood is the means by which oxygen and nutrients are transported to tissues while venous blood is the means by which carbon dioxide and metabolic by-products are transported to the lungs and kidneys, respectively, for removal from the body.

CDC: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the US agency charged with tracking and investigating public health trends. The stated mission of the CDC is "To promote health and quality of life by preventing and controlling disease, injury, and disability." The CDC is a part of the U.S. Public Health Services (PHS) under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
See the entire definition of CDC

Egg: Ovum (plural: ova).

Entomology: The scientific study of insects. The application of entomology to medicine is termed medical entomology. See: Medical entomology.

Environment: The sum of the total of the elements, factors and conditions in the surroundings which may have an impact on the development , action or survival of an organism or group of organisms.
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Extension: The process of straitening or the state of being strait. Extension of the hip and knee joints is necessary to stand up from the sitting position.
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Family: 1. A group of individuals related by blood or marriage or by a feeling of closeness. 2. A biological classification of related plants or animals that is a division below the order and above the genus. 3. A group of genes related in structure and in function that descended from an ancestral gene. 4. A group of gene products similarly related in structure and function and of shared genetic descent. 5. Parents and their children. The most fundamental social group in humans.

Fecal: Relating to the feces , the stool . The excrement discharged from the intestines.
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Itching: An uncomfortable sensation in the skin that feels as if something is crawling on the skin or in the skin, and makes the person want to scratch the affected area.
See the entire definition of Itching

Pesticide: A chemical used to control, repel, or destroy pests of any sort. There are scores of different types of pesticides which may act specifically, for example, as acaricides (against mites), fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, molluscacides (against snails and other mollusks), pediculicides (against lice), rodenticides (against rats and other rodents), scabicides (against scabies), etc.

Skin: The skin is the body's outer covering. It protects us against heat and light, injury, and infection. It regulates body temperature and stores water, fat, and vitamin D. Weighing about 6 pounds, the skin is the body's largest organ. It is made up of two main layers; the outer epidermis and the inner dermis.


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Bed Bugs

What is an itch?

Itch is an irritation in the skin that elicits an urge to scratch. Itches are a common problem and can be localized (limited to one area of the body) or generalized (occurring all over the body or in several different areas). The medical term for itching is pruritus. Generalized itch, for obvious reasons, is more difficult to treat than localized itch. Itches can also occur with or without skin lesions (for example, bumps or blisters). An itch that is accompanied by visible skin abnormality usually should be evaluated by a physician and, in some cases, by a dermatologist since the problem is likely to be a condition that requires specialized medical treatment (for example, eczema, scabies, etc.).

What causes itching?

Itching can be caused by many conditions. Probably the most common cause of itch is psychological, that is, due to stress, anxiety, etc. Stress also can aggravate itch from other causes. Dry skin is ano...

Read the Itching article »










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