Symptoms
Possible symptoms after a mosquito bite include local reactions such as:
- Itching
- Wheal formation, swelling, induration
- Redness, feeling of warmth
- Inflammation
Due to the skin lesion, there is a risk of infection. Usually mosquito bites are self-limiting and disappear after a few days on their own. However, a mosquito bite can also cause swelling over a large area. And systemic allergic reactions, hives and anaphylaxis can rarely occur. Dangerous infectious diseases are transmitted by mosquitoes in numerous countries. These include, for example, malaria, dengue fever, West Nile fever, Zika fever, yellow fever, Ross River fever and chikungunya fever.
Causes
Female mosquitoes puncture the skin with their proboscis and suck blood, which they need to produce eggs. The local reaction is caused mainly by components of the insect’s saliva and may be irritant-inflammatory or allergic. An allergic reaction is triggered after prior sensitization of allergenic proteins in saliva. Pathogens such as viruses and parasites originate from infected animals or humans and are also transmitted by mosquitoes with their saliva. The most important mosquito genera include , and :
- : Common mosquito
- : Asian tiger mosquito
- : Yellow fever mosquito
- , e.g. : malaria mosquito
The diurnal and aggressive Asian tiger mosquito, which transmits several of the above diseases, was introduced into Switzerland some time ago and has spread mainly in Ticino. Fortunately, it does not yet play a role in this country as a vector for pathogens.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis is usually made on the basis of the patient’s history and clinical presentation. Mosquito bites can be confused with other skin diseases.
Nonpharmacologic treatment
- Cooling
- Avoid scratching to prevent skin irritation and infection
- Evtentuell heat application with an electric pen
Drug treatment
Antihistamines:
- Antihistamines such as mepyramine and diphenhydramine have antiallergic and antipruritic properties and are usually applied topically in the form of a gel or with the aid of a roll-on. They are also combined with other active ingredients. If severe, they can also be taken in the form of tablets, drops or solution, such as cetirizine, loratadine or fexofenadine.
Essential oils:
- Essential oils and their components such as menthol and cineole have cooling, anti-itch, anti-irritant and antiseptic properties.
Disinfectant:
- Disinfectants are applied for local prevention of infectious diseases.
Glucocorticoids:
- Cortisone creams and ointments are anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic and anti-itch. Cortisone tablets may be indicated in severe cases.
Local anesthetics:
- Local anesthetics such as lidocaine have analgesic and antipruritic properties.
Acetic-tartaric clay solution:
- The acetic-tartaric clay solution is astringent (astringent) and cooling and is most often used as a gel in combination with chamomile and arnica.
Other options:
- Ammonia solution (sal ammoniac)
- Zinc oxide
- Dexpanthenol
- Aloe gel, arnica gel
- Curd
Prevention
- Repellents such as DEET (diethyltoluamide), icaridin (picaridin) or citriodiol (PMD) keep mosquitoes from biting.
- Get vaccinated against the communicable diseases, if vaccines are available.
- Treatment of clothing, for example, with the insecticide and repellent permethrin.
- Apply mosquito nets over the bed and fly screens on the windows.
- Do not open the windows at night.
- Many essential oils have insect repellent properties, for example, citronella oil.
- Wear light-colored clothing that covers the arms and legs.
- Wear closed shoes and socks.
- Systematically empty, remove or regularly replace standing water around the home, so for example from rain barrels, flower pots, gutters, swimming pools and bird baths.
- Eliminate mosquitoes, for example, by mechanical, physical or chemical methods.
- Inform themselves in advance about possible transmissible diseases when traveling.
