![]() ![]() These produce itching and redness immediately and a bacterial uninfected pustule at the sting site after several hours. The venom is water-insoluble and nonproteinaceous and contains hemolytic factors that cause the release of histamine and other vasoactive amines. What inflicts the burn (hence the name fire ant) is the venom injected by a stinger. The fire ant bites the flesh to grab hold, and this is done so quickly and sharply that there is little pain. The immediate and correct response is to kill all you can find on you immediately. ![]() The disturbed and aggressive fire ants will swarm onto you and with a signal all the female ants will bite your skin and insert their stinger and quickly inject venom in that spot and rotate around and inject more venom nearby. However, if unsure whether you are dealing with fire ants or regular ants it won’t take long for them to let you know. These terrors are different from the regular black ant that used to be a nuisance only because they spoiled picnics – these are slightly larger than black ants, a quarter of an inch long, reddish-brown to black and live in mounds with long, radiating underground tunnels. In fact, in infested areas like Charleston County it is estimated that half of the population will be stung by a fire ant each year. Undoubtedly with the growth in ant and human population since 1990 we are talking about a much higher incidence of stings. In all, there were 27 hospitalizations, one death and 170 cases requiring imported fire ant desensitization by an allergy specialist. A survey conducted in just South Carolina revealed that in the 1990, physicians reported treating 5000 cases of imported fire ant stings on humans. These unwelcome residents came from South America and with the exception of humans have no natural enemies and this explains their ubiquitous presence now throughout most of the South and certainly in South Carolina. They’re particularly fond of golf courses and gardens that get plenty of sun. Red fire ants (scientific name Solenopsis invicta or “invincible stick”) live around us everywhere. This came the very day I was stung by some working in the Seabrook garden so I did some more research on how to treat the stings. However, if you do accidentally pop the blister, apply an antibiotic ointment up to three times a day for one to two days to help prevent infection.There was a recent story in the Post and Courier on our numerous island neighbors, the red fire ant. If you leave your ant bites alone, they will usually dry up in about four days. Scratching can open the blisters and cause infection. It is important to resist the urge to scratch your ant bites for this very reason. It can be very tempting to pop the blister created by an ant bite, but don’t pop it! Popping a blister could lead to an infection because it creates an open wound that allows bacteria and germs to enter your body. Other treatments include taking acetaminophen to alleviate pain and taking an oatmeal bath to help reduce itching. ![]() Taking an oral antihistamine can also help with itching. ![]() Afterward, you can apply a cool compress with ice to help reduce pain and swelling (20 minutes on, 20 minutes off.) Topical treatments that can be used throughout the day to assist with symptoms are hydrocortisone cream, calamine lotion, or a baking soda paste. To treat the affected area, first, wash it with soap and water. If it lingers beyond that, contact your primary care provider. It can take anywhere from 7 to 10 days for the blister/sore to go away. How long a fire ant sting lasts can depend on the amount of venom the ants release into your skin. ![]()
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