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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Does Bite Of Several Insects Together Cause Swelling Of Glands?

My husband is deployed to Iraq. Since there he has been bit by bugs thought to be bed bugs initially, then deemed to be another bug (not sure air fleas, sand fleas) leaving bumps the turned red and itched like crazy Then he was stung by something on the side of his neck right over his gland just under his ear. The bite stung for 45 mins and swelled up enough for people to notice it and comment on it.



Then he got a swollen gland that did not go away with antibiotics. The Dr did a needle biopsy and wasn't happy with the results. He was then sent to have the gland removed and that sent for a biopsy. We are waiting on results now.



Then obvious first assumption is lymphoma. My question is can all the venom from the incidents also make the gland swell and not got down or disappear with the use of antibiotics? I am so hoping this could be the reason for the gland issue rather than the other. He told the Dr but he still went on with the gland removal. Maybe he was just airing om the safer side removing it.
Mon, 8 Jun 2015
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General & Family Physician 's  Response
Hi,
I would need further specific details to answer your question but however with the currently available details I would try and help you out.
Yes, It is possible for a gland to swell up after multiple insect bites. It can persist for longer if there is some local infection in the bite site. It can persist even with use of antibiotics when the infection is resistant to that antibiotic given. So some more information needed to answer this question are whether the doctor tried more than one course of antibiotic. Secondly, If it is a lymphoma, the gland usually does not swell up in a very short duration unless there was a small lymphoma which suddenly enlarged in size due to some RARE complication in the tumour. If that was so then the gland should have been painful and red. was it the case?
If your answer to that question was "He was all normal till insect bite and suddenly there was a large swelling of the gland" - then its most likely that its not lymphoma
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Does Bite Of Several Insects Together Cause Swelling Of Glands?

Hi, I would need further specific details to answer your question but however with the currently available details I would try and help you out. Yes, It is possible for a gland to swell up after multiple insect bites. It can persist for longer if there is some local infection in the bite site. It can persist even with use of antibiotics when the infection is resistant to that antibiotic given. So some more information needed to answer this question are whether the doctor tried more than one course of antibiotic. Secondly, If it is a lymphoma, the gland usually does not swell up in a very short duration unless there was a small lymphoma which suddenly enlarged in size due to some RARE complication in the tumour. If that was so then the gland should have been painful and red. was it the case? If your answer to that question was He was all normal till insect bite and suddenly there was a large swelling of the gland - then its most likely that its not lymphoma