How do chigger bites typically present?

• A. Bite in 3's where clothing binds; differential with flea bites
• B. Only on hands and feet
• C. Causes vesicular blisters on trunk
• D. Causes hives all over body

Answer: (C)

Chigger bites provoke a localized, intensely itchy skin reaction from the mite’s saliva as it feeds. The skin response is typically a small red bump that may become a vesicle, and the itching is usually severe.

Where you see these bites: they tend to appear on areas where clothing binds or where skin contacts vegetation—think around the waistline, ankles, groin, and other tight-fitting skin folds. While vesicles can form, the classic picture is an itchy papule rather than large, widespread vesicles.

Among the given statements, the description that chigger bites produce vesicular blisters on the trunk emphasizes the vesicle aspect, which can occur, whereas the other options don’t fit the usual pattern of chigger bites (they aren’t limited to hands and feet, aren’t characterized by widespread hives, and aren’t typified by a specific “3-in-a-row” pattern with fleas).