Reactions to Mosquito Bites

By Loren Allen

Mosquitoes are considered one of the most annoying pests on the planet. Related to gnats and flies they are air born insects which bite in order to feed. With the mosquito the bite is in the form of the insertion of a needle like appendage under the skin in order to draw out blood. Females are the usually the only type of Mosquito which bite humans as they need human blood to produce and mature their eggs. The reaction to the Mosquito bite is primarily related to the saliva that the mosquito injects into the skin to prevent the clotting of blood as it is being drawn into the mosquito.

Many of the proteins that are found in the saliva can cause reactions. There are a range of typical problems that can be seen in people. There are many different types of reactions that can be considered. Further there are a number of different symptoms that need to be considered as well depending on the time frame and how many bites the person has been exposed to. Some of the reasons are that they could include both swelling and itching and it could be immediate or delayed. After being bitten over many years these reactions seems to be delayed a bit. If you have these reactions they are normal and you would not be classified as allergic to mosquitos.

Some of the reactions a person can experience from a bite are considered clinical allergies. Some of the more sever reactions are referred to skeeter syndrome, which often is characterized as presenting a different type of bump. The bump is usually accompanied by a blistering rash, bruise and swelling at the bite location. This type of reaction is generally accompanied by sever pain and can have onset as long as two days after the bite.

More complicated allergic reactions are rare from mosquito bites, but can be potentially life threatening. Difficulty breathing resulting from a mosquito bite is certainly cause for alarm. Feeling heavy chested, wheezing or asthma type symptoms are also severe allergic reactions, and are reasons to call your doctor, or seek emergency care. They typically will occur in an allergic person within a minute or two of the resulting bite.

There are a number of factors that point to someone being at higher risk of an allergy to a mosquito bite. These include that if someone works outdoors or has a high amount of outdoor exposure they are a higher risk. Further there are also those who have a lower natural immunity to the mosquitos which would include young children or people who are visiting an area with mosquitos for the first time.

The last group of people who are at a higher risk are those who have some type of immune system deficiency. Those would include people with AIDS or cancer. Diagnosis of a mosquito allergy can be made through a skin test. This type of allergy should only be tested by those who have a history of more severe reactions to bites. - 29957

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