Mosquitoes and mosquito bites
Mosquitoes are among the most annoying of the insects that bite. It is unlikely that you’ll notice the bite happening but the resulting symptoms (inflammation and itch) can be quite uncomfortable.
Why do mosquitoes bite?
Mosquitoes bite because they need the proteins found in blood to produce their eggs. When a mosquito bites, it uses tube-like mouthparts to pierce the skin and consume blood. Whilst the victim doesn’t lose a lot of blood, the mosquito’s saliva can cause skin to become irritated, which may cause discomfort and result in the urge to itch.
Why are mosquitoes attracted to humans?
Key reasons that mosquitoes are attracted to humans:
- Carbon dioxide: Mosquitoes are drawn to the carbon dioxide that humans exhale and can sense it from up to 50 metres away.
- Body warmth and body odour: Mosquitoes are heat sensitive and so are naturally drawn to people with higher body temperatures. Mosquitoes are also attracted to specific body odours and sweat.
- Blood type O: People with blood type O are more likely to be targeted than people of other blood types. Research has shown that people with Type O blood are twice as likely to get bitten as those with Type B. Type A was even less popular than Type B.
Mosquito bites – harmless or harmful?
When mosquitoes bite, the mosquito’s saliva is detected by the body’s immune system as a threat and it responds in self-defence. This self-defence takes the form of releasing histamine. Histamine causes skin to become irritated or inflamed, often resulting in a rash. Left untreated, the bite will typically itch for a few days, and the wound then disappears naturally.
Mosquito bites and the urge to scratch
The threat of infection or skin inflammation may increase if itchy skin is scratched, as this creates an opportunity for bacteria to enter the wound. Scratching and the accompanying skin inflammation can lead to wheals (small swellings on the skin that usually itch or burn). Children may find it especially difficult to resist the urge to scratch itchy skin but it is important that they are prevented from doing so. An antihistamine treatment can provide relief from symptoms such as itchy skin.1, 2
Mosquitoes and mosquito bites
Mosquito bites cause discomfort. Why do they bite? What happens to the skin when mosquitoes bite, and what causes the urge to scratch a mosquito bite?
1 Insect bites and stings, NHS, pp.1/4, http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/bitesinsect/Pages/complications.aspx pp.
2 How to protect from insect bites, FDA, http://www.fda.gov/downloads/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/UCM225621.pdf, pp. 1/2
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