There are occasional reports of skin rashes resembling insect bites attributed to static electricity (often associated with dry air conditions). I am are not fully convinced that static electricity is the cause. However I understand that some professionals in the pest control industry believe that this can be the case.
Chester County Council stated in an on-line article that :
""The environmental problems, however, have gone on from there as our buildings and their furnishings become increasingly modernised and synthetic. Sharp paper dust particles cause skin irritations, and in Chester the culprit has usually been pig-hair carpeting. In addition, certain combinations of temperature and relative humidity seem to set the stage for itches. The skin becomes hypersensitive and then contaminants irritate it.
Whenever someone walks across a carpet – or other floor covering – the friction between their soles and the flooring generates an electrostatic charge. This passes onto their skin and accumulates with each step. The charge drains slowly from the body back to the floor, but, when walking quickly or for a long distance, people accumulate static electricity on their bodies faster than it can drain away. Problems arise, if someone takes 20 or 30 paces across the floor and then touches or passes very near another object.
Although the discharge occurs unnoticed, it is often sufficient to cause localised skin irritations and leave a tiny red rash similar to an insect bite. Temperature and relative humidity influence the magnitude of the discharge, while sweat, oils and other materials on the skin improve the electrical conductivity of the body surface and aggravate the situation. ""
(See: http://www.chester.gov.uk/main.asp?page=889 )
I do not necessarily agree with the CCC analysis but if static is involved it is likely that dry air conditions, and the floor covering material, are both major factors. We would expect the inhabitants would also receive shocks from static discharge, they would feel, hear, and possibly see the spark that accompanies the discharge. The voltage required for humans to feel these effects ( above about 3000 volts ) would easily be generated by walking on a nylon, or other man made fibre, carpet and other insulating materials.
For further interest, see also http://citybugs.tamu.edu/FastSheets/Ent-1012.html
Monday, August 01, 2005
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I spent a whole month working on a project in front of a 22"screen, in an airconditioned, nylon carpeted office. My ankles became grossly swollen and the consultant I visited recognised purpura ie internal bleeding from small blood vessels. My whole body itched yet some regions like the thighs showed no superficial effects but it was as though the nerve ending were affected. Other regions like wrists and forearms looked like insect bites and with the itching and scratching were often bleeding.
It was an extreme situation because i only left the office for a half hour a day.
My dermatologist said "It wouldn't be static causing it". They have a lot to learn. i am happy to pass on the info because i wonder what the lesser symptoms are.
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