Mosquito bites have been a nuisance over the years and have caused havoc across the globe with the bites carrying infections like Chikungunya, Dengue, Malaria, Encephalitis, Zika and the likes to name a few. While most bites do not result in a life-threatening infection most do result in a itching spots and bumps on the site of the bite. Let's consider exactly what happens when you get bitten by the mosquito and how your bodies tend to react to it.
The female mosquito locates a possible victim, lands on the site and inserts its mouth into your skin to suck blood from the blood vessels. As the mosquito bites into your blood stream, it releases saliva into your blood stream. The saliva contains proteins that prevent the blood from clotting while the mosquito feeds. The proteins in the saliva cause the reaction and not the actual bite.
The reaction varies from individual to individual. Depending on your body's immune system one may have one of the following reactions.
1. No reaction: If you are one of the few lucky ones, your body has grown to recognize the proteins and stopped reacting to it as a threat. Repeated exposure to the proteins can lead the body to become immune to reaction from the proteins.
2. Small red dots: This is usually the reaction in most individuals and kids where the site of bite develops a around whitish bump with a tiny visible dot at the center. the bump usually reddens in a day or two. This is a minor allergic reaction to mosquito bites.
3. Welts: These are usually smooth, flat topped, slightly raised bumps which are usually redder than the skin surrounding it. Studies suggest that the longer the mosquito feeds at a certain site, the higher the chances of the reaction to the mosquito saliva forming welts. A person's genetic makeup is also a factor that decides whether a certain individual will develop welts on the bite site.
4. Fever and hives: These are usually a more severe form of reaction to mosquito saliva as compared to the two mentioned above. The hives are welts which are usually accompanied by redness, heat, itching, pain and fever. This kind of a reaction can cause the skin around the bite to swell excessively and in some cases, even cause blisters and ooze. Children and adults with a compromised immune system are more likely to have such an extreme reaction.
5. Anaphylaxis: It is the most extreme reaction one can have to a mosquito bite or any other allergen for that matter. The symptoms are like that of a normal anaphylactic reaction like hives, sweeping of lip or tongue, trouble breathing, wheezing, coughing, passing out and in extreme cases death. Such reactions to mosquito bites are rare and can be managed with proper medical care.
This goes to say that there are many ways in which something as simple as a mosquito bite can prove to be fatal to your child. Allergic reactions to mosquito bites are unpredictable in nature and so protection from bites is the best way to go about it.
