What is the best course of action for angry bug bites?

I got a couple of nasty insect bites last week and the skin around them became red and swollen. I went to a walk-in centre and was told to take antihistamines. The swelling is gradually going down but shouldn't I have been given antibiotics?

- Dr Rosemary Leonard

Insect bites and stings contain chemicals that can irritate the skin, and lead to the release of histamine, which in turns causes redness, swelling and itching, often within half an hour.