Beetle-infested furniture leads to rare disease for couple.
A French couple developed a rare skin disease called Pyemotes dermatitis after the mites infesting the beetles eating their furniture bit them. The mites, called Pyemotes ventricosus, inject a toxin to paralyze their prey and nourish their eggs. The bites cause extremely itchy welts and pink marks, and in some cases, a comet-shaped rash. The skin condition generally resolves on its own, and the couple was treated with topical glucocorticoids and antihistamines.