Background: 

Culicoides drenskii is an insect that belongs to the Certaopogonidae family of class Insecta.

Culicoides species are biting midges that cause insect dermatitis. They are known as vectors of pathogens that can cause a variety of diseases in humans and animals.

Objective: 

We report a series of 32 cases with insect dermatitis to Culicoides drenskii distributed endemically to the Black sea coast of Bulgaria.

Methods: 

32 patients (13 male, 19 female) with a history of being bitten by small midges while sunbathing

were examined in ambulatory dermatological praxis for a period of 14 days. Clinical examination, therapy as well as entimological investigation of the causative agents were

performed.

Results: 

The patients complained of urticarial and/or papular rash on the site of the insect bites. In 2 patients with medical history for asthma in clinical remission systemic symptoms were present. A correlation between the severity of the dermatitis and skin phototype was observed:

patients with fair skin (Fitzpatrick II) developed more dramatic clinical signs than individuals with darker skin.

Discussion: 

The options for local and systemic treatment, as well as the ways of prevention of the disease are discussed herein. 

Conclusion: 

An outbreak of 32 cases of insect dermatitis caused by an unusual agent – Culicoides

drenskii is reported. The nuisance to the patients and its impact to the tourism on the Black sea coast pose questions on the preventive measures and desinsection in the resort areas in rainy summer.