Infected Insect Bite? 5 Signs It Needs Treatment (Not Just Antihistamines)

British summers run on a predictable cycle: barbecues, beer gardens, and bites. Most insect bites are a two-day itch and nothing more. But scratch one open, let bacteria in, and a harmless bite can turn into cellulitis — a spreading skin infection that needs antibiotics.

Under Pharmacy First, Lyng Pharmacy in West Bromwich examines suspect bites and supplies NHS treatment, including antibiotics, for anyone aged 1 and over. Here's when to come in.

The 5 signs of infection

1. Redness spreading outward — especially after the first 48 hours, when a normal reaction should be fading. 2. Heat and increasing pain, rather than itch. 3. Pus, fluid or golden crusting. 4. Swollen glands nearby, or a red line tracking away from the bite. 5. Fever or feeling generally unwell. The pattern matters more than any single sign: normal bites improve day on day; infected bites deteriorate.

Treating an ordinary bite properly

Wash with soap and water, cold compress for swelling, an oral antihistamine for the itch, and paracetamol or ibuprofen for discomfort. Above all: don't scratch. Broken skin is the front door for infection — keep nails short and consider covering bites on children.

When it's an emergency

Swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, wheeze, difficulty breathing, dizziness or collapse after a bite or sting is anaphylaxis — call 999 immediately. Rapidly spreading redness, fever with a spreading rash, or a red streak running up a limb needs same-day treatment: come straight in or call 111.

Frequently asked questions