Reactions to Mosquito Bites

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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.

The saliva that is injected into your body is commonly the cause of an allergic reaction. Commonly itching and swelling will occur after being bit by a mosquito, and is a normal reaction in most individuals. Depending on how many mosquito "bite" you receive generally dictates your reaction, of your body. People who are allergic to mosquitoes usually have more severe symptoms, that be quite more extensive then bumps and itching.

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.

The rare but very serious reactions that could occur include anaphalaxis after a bite or not being able to breathe properly. There could also be hives and swelling which would cover a large portion of the body. Another severe reaction issue is if you are having severe asthma related symptoms of if your asthma gets worse. With these severe reactions there is typically a reaction within a minute of the bite.

While most people are not what is considered clinically allergic to mosquito bites there are a certain set of factors which seem to indicate a higher than normal risk of being allergic. The primary risk factory for developing a mosquito allergy is working outdoors or living a lifestyle which includes a lot of outdoor exposure. Also to be considered in this group are children, who have a lower natural immunity to mosquito bites and therefore have a higher chance of developing an extreme sensitivity later in life. Lastly it should be noted that people who have a compromised immune system are always at an elevated risk for having an serious reaction to a mosquito bite even if they are not in a group which presents classic signs of being clinically allergic.

These people include persons with cancer and those afflicted with AIDS. Diagnosis of mosquito allergy can easily be made by a simple skin exposure test in a controlled environment, but this type of test should only be administered to those who have exhibited other signs of having adverse reactions to bites.

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