A mosquito bite rarely comes alone. But why do the mosquitoes bite at all and why do these bites itch? Are all bites uncritical or can mosquitoes also transmit diseases ? You will find out this and more interesting and worth knowing facts about the subject of “mosquito bites” in the following lines.
Table of Contents
- How are mosquitoes attracted?
- What role does the blood group play?
- Why and how does a mosquito bite?
- Defense reaction of the body
- The first reaction – the scratching
- Mosquito bite – home remedies
- Cool
- Aloe vera
- Treat mosquito bites with heat
- Homeopathy and Schuessler salts
- Treat mosquito bites with antihistamine
- Inflamed mosquito bite
- Lymphedema and sepsis
- Mosquito bite – allergy
- Mosquitoes as carriers of disease
- Protection against mosquito bites
- Closing word
How are mosquitoes attracted?
Everyone knows the phrase: “Light attracts mosquitoes – turn off the light and close the window.” However, scientific studies have found that this statement is not true. Rather the opposite is the case. As various studies show, mosquitoes are attracted to people themselves by their body odor, sweat, warmth and the carbon dioxide they exhale. The carbon dioxide concentration is highest in the area of the head.
The fact that mosquitoes fly into houses or apartments when the windows are open is not – as is so often assumed – due to the light. Instead, the pesky insects are attracted by human smells. (Image: corlaffra / stock.adobe.com)
Stagnant bodies of water such as ponds or ponds and the water in saucers can also attract mosquitoes. In addition, mosquitoes are most active at dusk. They like a high humidity of more than 80 percent and warm temperatures.
What role does the blood group play?
The smell that we humans give off through the skin is partly determined by the composition of our blood , i.e. the blood group. This is also the explanation for why two people lying next to each other are more likely to be bitten by a mosquito than the other.
Japanese researchers found through a study with 64 test persons that people with blood group 0 were most likely to be stung – especially those who were known as secretors. What does that mean now? A “secretor” is someone whose blood group antigens are also contained in body fluids and secretions such as saliva or sweat. As a result, Asian tiger mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus) approached secretors of blood group 0 almost twice as often as secretors of blood group A.
Why and how does a mosquito bite?
Mosquitoes exist around the world and there are around 3000 different species. Most of them are harmless. Of the mosquitoes, it is the females that sting. They need the blood as a source of protein for egg maturation. These small female bloodsuckers have a proboscis that they can use to penetrate the skin , but the males cannot. The amount of blood that is sucked out from a mosquito bite is between 0.001 and 0.01 milliliters.
Defense reaction of the body
When mosquitoes are bitten, they release some of their special saliva, a protein-containing secretion, into the upper layers of the skin. This has an analgesic, anticoagulant and vasodilatory effect. This means that the blood does not clot as quickly and the mosquito can suckle more easily. Contact with the foreign protein immediately puts the body on the alert and a defense reaction begins.
The messenger substance histamine plays a central role here. This is present almost everywhere in the body, but the highest doses are in the skin , lungs and gastrointestinal tract . Histamine is a transmitter substance that is involved in many reactions in the human organism. A small amount of histamine is immediately released through contact with the protein that the mosquito gives off when a mosquito bites. This dilates the smallest blood vessels (capillaries), causing the typical symptoms at the puncture site: swelling, wheals , redness and itching. With this in mind, it becomes clear why ointments containing an antihistamine can help with mosquito bites.
Try not to scratch if you get a mosquito bite, as this can quickly lead to inflammation. (Image: kanachaifoto / stock.adobe.com)
The first reaction – the scratching
Since such a mosquito bite usually causes massive itching, the first aid is scratching. But the relief doesn’t last long. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania explain this in the journal Neutron as follows: Scratching stimulates pain receptors, which pass their information on to B5-I neurons. These release a special messenger substance – dynorphin – which in turn inhibits the itch receptors. This means that the pain caused by scratching temporarily switches off the itching – but only for a short time.
In addition, scratching irritates the skin more and more. It becomes infected and may itch even more. Above all, germs can penetrate the wound caused by the mosquito bite. This can cause an infection. So better not scratch it. If the sting is treated immediately, either with the help of home remedies, ointments from the pharmacy or naturopathic remedies, it usually heals quite quickly.
Mosquito bite – home remedies
There are many home remedies that can provide relief from a mosquito bite. Try them out, the effect is quite individual.
Cool
What works well and provides quick relief is cooling – as quickly as possible. The cold ensures that the blood vessels contract and the release of histamine is slowed down. The inflammatory reaction is also somewhat inhibited and the nerve conduction speed slowed down. Cooling takes away the itching and counteracts swelling. Rub the sting with an ice cube, but do not leave it directly on the skin. It is best to wrap the cubes or a cooling pad on the affected area with a cloth.
What also helps is cold water mixed with a little vinegar or lemon juice on a cloth and put on the mosquito bite. As soon as the cloth is no longer cold, this is renewed. You can also use lemon slices, cucumber or onion slices, this is also a tried and tested home remedy for mosquito bites.
If you don’t have any of these at home, you can also use quark compresses for cooling. To do this, put a little quark on a thin kitchen towel, close it and place it on the sting. Furthermore, pads soaked with alcohol or ribwort juice alleviate the itching. Even our own saliva cools a little and has an itch-soothing effect. So if nothing is tangible – we always have the saliva ready.
If a mosquito has stung it often helps to cool down as soon as possible. Because the cold soothes the itching and swelling. (Image: Animaflora PicsStock / stock.adobe.com)
Aloe vera
A good home remedy for mosquito bites is aloe vera. The aloe gel cools, has an anti-inflammatory, decongestant and antipruritic effect. Be sure to get a preparation that does not contain any additives. If you have an aloe vera plant at home, you can cut off a leaf and apply the emerging gel directly to the mosquito bite.
Treat mosquito bites with heat
In addition to cold, heat is also a good remedy for mosquito bites. Small electronic devices are available in stores that can tackle the bite at around 50 degrees Celsius. While this is uncomfortable and burns a bit, it helps very well. The heat denatures the mosquito’s foreign proteins, which leads to a reduction in the release of histamine. The faster the heat is applied after the stitch, the better.
Homeopathy and Schuessler salts
In addition to the home remedies mentioned so far, the homeopathy and Schuessler salts sector also offer various remedies which, in the event of a mosquito bite, can under certain circumstances lead to a symptom relief. It should be noted, however, that there is currently no scientific evidence of their effectiveness.
A common mosquito bite from homeopathy is Apis mellifica. This mainly helps against the swelling and inflammation caused by the bite. If the mosquito bite itches severely, Rhus toxicodendron is the drug of choice. If the itching is accompanied by wheals, Urtica urens could be the right thing.
Those who prefer to use Schüßler salts will have number 8 (sodium chloratum) ready. This is sucked and also applied externally at the same time. To do this, dissolve one or two tablets in a little water and pour the pulp on the bite. If you add redness and warmth, the choice falls on salt no. 3, Ferrum phosphoricum. This can also be used internally and externally.
If the mosquito bite has become infected or is very large and swollen or even discolored, Ledum is the name of the game. This is a homeopathic remedy that belongs in every naturopathic medicine cabinet. Ledum is sucked, but also dissolved and then dabbed on the sting. And preferably several times a day. But you can also fix a globule directly on the sting with a plaster. This is a good tip to use with young children.
Treat mosquito bites with antihistamine
The pharmacy offers a variety of creams and gels for treating mosquito bites. Usually these contain an antihistamine. Pens with a cooling effect are perfect for on the go.
Inflamed mosquito bite
If a sting ignites, caution is advised. It is essential to wash your hands before applying ointments. If pus has built up, pull ointments can help. However, if the inflammation is widespread, painful and possibly changed in color, you should definitely consult a doctor. Antibiotic therapy may be necessary.
If bacteria stuck to the mosquito bite, they can get into the body when it bites. (Image: nataba / stock.adobe.com)
As already described at the beginning, scratching is a cause of an infected mosquito bite. But mosquitoes can also bring pathogens such as streptococci or coli bacteria with them, which cause an infection. These stick to the lancing device of the female and are brought into the wound during the lancing process.
Lymphedema and sepsis
In the worst case, an infected mosquito bite can lead to blood poisoning (sepsis). This is a systemic reaction of the body due to invading pathogens. If, for example, streptococci get into the human body when the sting is scratched, they multiply in the lymphatic system and lead to lymphedema there . If the pathogens get into the bloodstream, there is a risk of blood poisoning in the worst case. If this is not recognized and treated in time, it can have serious long-term consequences or even be fatal.
Possible symptoms of blood poisoning are, in addition to the inflammatory change in the mosquito bite
- Fever,
- Chills,
- fast pulse,
- rapid breathing,
- low blood pressure,
- Pain,
- inner unrest
- and confusion.
Attention: The suspicion of this disease belongs immediately to a hospital.
Mosquito bite – allergy
Not only bees or wasps can trigger an allergic reaction, mosquitoes too. However, a mosquito bite allergy is comparatively rare. The stitches swell particularly strong and also itch massively, and the symptoms last much longer. Anyone who notices this should definitely treat every sting immediately. The mentioned measures such as cooling or heating with a suitable heat stick are used for this purpose.
Attention: If symptoms such as nausea , shortness of breath , poor circulation , palpitations or the like occur, please consult a doctor immediately.
Mosquitoes as carriers of disease
Mosquito bites are usually harmless. Unfortunately, there are mosquito species that can transmit dangerous infectious diseases . This includes, for example, the Anopheles mosquito, which transmits malaria. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Egyptian tiger mosquito (Aedes aegypti) is the main carrier of the Zika virus, as well as the pathogens causing yellow fever, dengue fever, chikungunya fever and other viral diseases. In this country, however, there is no risk of being stung by Aedes aegypti, because according to information from the Foreign Office in Germany , this does not currently occur.
The Asian tiger mosquito is native to the tropical and subtropical areas of South and Southeast Asia. However, it is now common worldwide. (Image: gordzam / stock.adobe.com)
The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) is now on everyone’s lips. This mosquito is now spreading worldwide, the first tiger mosquito was discovered in Germany in 2007. It originally comes from the South and Southeast Asian tropics and is responsible for transmitting dengue fever , chikungunya fever and the Zika virus , for example . Aedes albopictus can transmit a total of more than 20 pathogens – however, it does not carry the pathogens naturally. Rather, the tiger mosquito must first have ingested it by biting a sick person in order to then be able to infect another person.
Scientists assume that the Asian tiger mosquito will multiply more and more due to climate change and global warming. The transport of goods and travel activities in which the mosquito is carried as a “stowaway” also means that the tropical insect is spreading more and more worldwide. In Germany, however, there is still a very low risk of infection with the Zika virus, according to the Federal Foreign Office.
Everyone can do something to prevent them from reproducing: Avoid standing bodies of water such as puddles in the garden and coasters, bowls, vessels, etc. in which water collects. Because the mosquito lays its eggs in this water and there the larvae develop.
Protection against mosquito bites
A home remedy for mosquitoes that can be used quickly and easily is light, light-colored clothing in the form of a long-sleeved top and long trousers. At home, mosquito screens are best placed on the windows. A mosquito net over the bed protects you on vacation. If you like, you can impregnate clothing, bags and tents against mosquitoes. Special sprays are available for this. You can also use it to edit your mosquito screens or mosquito nets.
Furthermore, mosquito repellants, so-called repellents, which are applied to the skin, help. These are intended to prevent insects from being attracted to the human odor. The best known and most effective active ingredient is diethyltoluamide (“DEET”). It is a chemical insect repellent with a number of possible side effects. The drug became known because it was used with success in the Vietnam War. If you want to travel to malaria areas, it is usually recommended to get a mosquito repellent with diethyltoluamide. The active ingredient is very effective for both diurnal and nocturnal insects.
A mosquito net over the bed keeps the annoying mosquitoes away. (Image: K.Pornsatid / stock.adobe.com)
In addition to skin irritation, these agents can have negative effects on the nervous system, especially if used frequently, as it can penetrate the bloodstream through the skin. Penetration is even easier for people who use skin care products that contain urea, for example. There is also a greater risk when DEET is applied over a large area. The active ingredient can also attack leather and plastic. It should not be used in children under two years of age or during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
An alternative that is considered better tolerated is the active ingredient Icaridin. This is also contained in many mosquito repellants, but not entirely free of side effects. Itching, redness and flaking of the skin can occur in connection with icaridin. Under no circumstances should this be applied to diseased skin or wounds and, above all, should not be inhaled. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should definitely discuss the use with their doctor. Those who have sensitive skin can choose a product that contains icaridin and dexpanthenol. While DEET is recommended for malaria areas, Icaridin is a good alternative for trips to malaria-free areas due to its better tolerance.
Citriodiol is well tolerated and is not a chemical repellant. The substance is obtained from lemon eucalyptus and is one of the best natural mosquito repellants.
Closing word
If you don’t want to get a mosquito bite at all, you should protect yourself by the measures described in the text. Protection against the mosquitoes that can carry disease is essential. Such a small, itchy mosquito bite will go away again, but what if the small insect was previously with an infected person and then passes the pathogen on by bite?
Anyone traveling to areas with certain infectious diseases should seek advice about a possible vaccination. In any case, protective measures such as mosquito repellants, suitable clothing, mosquito nets, etc. are necessary. So far, the risk of infection in Germany is still quite low. Despite everything, protection against the bite is definitely the best prevention
