From the Guidelines
Treatment for acute Solenopsis invicta (fire ant) bites in Louisiana is primarily focused on relieving symptoms and preventing secondary infection.
Local Reaction Treatment
- Cold compresses can help reduce local pain and swelling
- Oral antihistamines and analgesics can help reduce itching or pain associated with cutaneous reactions 1
Prevention of Secondary Infection
- Fire ant stings typically cause a sterile pseudopustule within 24 hours after a sting, which should be left intact and kept clean to prevent secondary infection 1
Large Local Reactions
- Prompt use of oral corticosteroids is effective treatment to limit swelling in patients with a history of large local reactions 1 It is essential to note that antibiotic therapy is not required for the initial treatment of fire ant stings, as the swelling is caused by allergic inflammation and not by infection 1.
From the Research
Treatment for Acute Solenopsis invicta (Fire Ant) Bites
- The treatment for acute Solenopsis invicta (fire ant) bites typically involves conservative therapy, including:
- Antihistamines
- Ice or cool compresses
- Topical lidocaine
- Corticosteroid lotions 2
- For anaphylactic reactions, prompt recognition and initiation of treatment is critical, and treatment is similar to that for anaphylactic reactions after honeybee and vespid stings 2, 3
- In some cases, fire ant bites can cause hand-foot syndrome, which can be treated with fluocinonide cream and requires only conservative treatment 4
- There is no evidence to suggest that prophylaxis before the sting or treatment after the sting can alter the clinical or pathologic course of the fire ant pustule 5
- Anaphylaxis caused by fire ant stings can be severe and requires immediate medical attention, including resuscitation and medication for anaphylaxis 6