Microbiology & infectious diseases
Parasites-cutaneous / subcutaneous / soft tissue
Cimex lectularius (bed bug)
Author: Nat Pernick, M.D.
Last author update: 1 November 2018
Last staff update: 5 October 2020
Copyright: 2018-2025, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Cimex lectularius[TI] free full text[sb]
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Case reports | Gross description | Gross images | Differential diagnosis | Additional referencesCite this page: Pernick N. Cimex lectularius (bed bug). PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/parasitologycimexlectularius.html. Accessed January 15th, 2025.
Definition / general
- Cimex lectularius is the common human bed bug
- Cimex hemipterus is found primarily in tropical regions
Case reports
- 69 year old woman with bed bugs (Pritt: Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites Blog - Case of the Week 497 [Accessed 9 November 2018])
Gross description
- Broad oval dorsoventrally flattened body, short rudimentary front wings, laterally flared pronotum lined with setae (hair-like structures), which are shorter than the width of the eye (Pritt: Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites Blog - Answer to Case 395 [Accessed 9 November 2018])
Gross images
Contributed by Bobbi Pritt, M.D.
Bed bugs
Bed bugs: Cimex lectularius
Bed bugs: Cimex lectularius
Bed bug: setae shorter than width of eye
Bat / bird bed bug: prominent long setae
Differential diagnosis
- Bat bug: may bite humans if bats are not available; have longer pronotal hairs; important to differentiate since eradication methods are different (Pritt: Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites Blog - Answer to Case 395 [Accessed 9 November 2018])
