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Bed bugs can cause severe anaemia in adults

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Abstract

A 60-year-old woman and her 67-year-old male partner, admitted for pneumonia and non-ST elevation myocardial infarction, respectively, had severe anaemia (Hb 5.3 and 5.2 g/dL, respectively), as a result from massive infestation with Cimex lectularius. After two erythrocyte transfusions and thorough decontamination, their clinical course was unremarkable.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. 4th Medical Department with Infectious Diseases & Tropical Medicine, Kaiser Franz Josef-Hospital, Vienna, Austria

    Maria Paulke-Korinek, Marton Széll, Hermann Laferl & Christoph Wenisch

  2. Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Maria Paulke-Korinek

  3. Department of Medical Parasitology, Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Herbert Auer

Authors
  1. Maria Paulke-Korinek
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  2. Marton Széll
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  3. Hermann Laferl
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  4. Herbert Auer
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  5. Christoph Wenisch
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Maria Paulke-Korinek or Christoph Wenisch.

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Paulke-Korinek, M., Széll, M., Laferl, H. et al. Bed bugs can cause severe anaemia in adults. Parasitol Res 110, 2577–2579 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-011-2777-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-011-2777-6

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