Body and health: All About Mosquito Allergy

utorak, 28. lipnja 2016.

All About Mosquito Allergy

Mosquitoes are flying, biting insects that are closely related to flies and gnats. Only the female mosquito feeds on humans, and she needs a blood meal in order to produce eggs. During a feeding, the female mosquito bites the human skin, and injects saliva. The saliva contains various proteins that prevent the blood from clotting, as well as proteins that keep the blood flowing into the mosquito’s mouth.

Reactions to Mosquito Bites

Many of the mosquito saliva proteins can cause immune reactions, including allergic reactions. Typically, however, most people have a variety of reactions to mosquito bites, and the symptoms change over time, depending on the amount of bites a person received. These reactions can include both immediate and delayed swelling and itching around the bite area. These reactions tend to decrease in frequency after being bitten by mosquitoes over many years.

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Swelling From Bee Stings and Mosquito Bites

I am often asked by patients about localized swelling at the site of an insect sting or bite. Some people are convinced that they have a “severe allergy” to mosquito bites because of the localized swelling that occurs as a result. Others are concerned about a possible “life-threatening reaction” to bee stings because the last time they were stung on the foot, their foot swelled to the point of not being able to put on their shoe.

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Allergies While Camping

Most people have wonderful memories of spending summer days at the campground. Camping is an American tradition, whether it’s in the mountains, at the beach, in the desert, or even in the backyard. Just about any outdoor activity that involves spending the night in a tent, trailer or RV or just out under the stars in a sleeping bag counts as camping. Outdoor activities such as hiking, swimming, and just sitting around the campfire are what make camping really special.

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