In some instances, mosquito bites can lead to serious illnesses.
Mosquitoes are pesky insects that can bite you most often during the hours of dusk and dawn. Although a typical mosquito bite is bothersome, it is rather harmless. What is harmful is the mosquito bite that triggers an allergic reaction or transmits a serious illness. It is possible that a bite may require medical attention, so it is important to your health to know the signs and symptoms of an adverse reaction to a mosquito bite.
The Facts
A mosquito bite occurs when a female mosquito lands on the surface of your skin and sucks your blood. Proteins in the female mosquito's saliva enter your skin and irritate your body. A red, itchy bump typically forms on the surface of your skin where the mosquito bit you. This bump can take two days to form, or it may appear immediately. For uncertain reasons, mosquitoes are more likely to bite men, overweight individuals and people with type O blood.
Serious Illness
Mosquito bites can cause allergic reactions in some people, which may include a swelling of the throat, wheezing and hives. In an allergic reaction situation, it is important to see a doctor immediately. Mosquitoes can bite an animal or a human infected with a serious illness and then transmit this illness to you. Illnesses spread by mosquitoes include the West Nile virus, dengue fever, yellow fever and malaria. See a doctor immediately if you suffer from any of the following mosquito bite complications: severe headache, fever, body ache, nausea or vomiting.
Treatment
You can use hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion to help reduce itchiness at the site of a mosquito bite. If you have a stronger reaction to a mosquito bite, try taking an antihistamine containing Benadryl, Claritin or Zyrtec. If you are suffering from any of the severe complications of mosquito bites, such as headaches, fevers or nausea, a doctor will test you for a mosquito-borne disease and provide you with the necessary medicines to treat the disease.
Prevention
Mosquitoes are most active during dusk and dawn, so if you are outside at this time, wear protective clothing such as a hat, socks, long sleeves and pants. You should dress in light colors since mosquitoes are attracted to darker colors. You can use insect repellents such as DEET, Picaridin or the oil of lemon eucalyptus, to block a mosquito's ability to locate you. Mosquitoes breed in stagnant or standing water, so eliminate sources of standing water around the outside of your house.
Tags: mosquito bite, your skin, allergic reaction, doctor immediately, dusk dawn