Patients have experienced hives, itching, flushing and sometimes anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening condition in which the body goes into shock. There’s also Lyme disease, which causes overwhelming fatigue and achy, stiff joints. This is contracted from tick bites, mostly in the Northeast and upper Midwest.

The CDC estimates anaphylaxis occurs in about 0.4 to 0.8 percent of children and 33 percent of adults and results in about 40 deaths per year.

Prevention Is Preparation

Bug bites are a fact of life, particularly if you spend any amount of time in a suburban or country setting outdoors. Preventing bites before they happen is key. It’s absolutely essential and perhaps life-saving if you have an allergic reaction to insect bites.

The key to stopping bites is to present as little opportunity to as possible. To do that, use insect repellent and wear clothing that will cover most of the areas that bugs usually target – legs, arms and other exposed areas. Wear a hat and always make sure to check clothes for ticks and other hangers-on before discarding them once you’ve finished with your outdoor excursion. Don’t walk barefoot in grassy areas -- insects thrive in tall grass. If you have to go into areas where insects are likely to nest – areas containing standing water, garbage disposal areas, thick shrubbery, picnic areas or house eaves, make sure you wear gloves, insect repellent and appropriately heavy clothing.

One absolute is that you should avoid heavy use of aftershave, hairspray, perfume or deodorants that signify potential targets to insects.

Even with all those precautions, you sometimes will experience a bug bite. Here are some suggested treatments if you encounter a problem.