Mosquitoes
(Control, Prevention & Treatment of Bites)
Mosquitoes
are two winged, blood sucking insects in the
family Culicidae. They can be a serious
vector of diseases such as; Ross River Fever,
Dengue Fever, Malaria, Yellow Fever, to name a
few.
While both male & female mosquitoes feed on
plant nectar, only the female feeds on blood,
which is needed to help her produce eggs.
Mosquitoes are a common problem in the warm
summer months and may be found year round in
tropical climates. They are active from dusk to
dawn, and females are attracted to us by the
carbon dioxide exhaled as we breathe.
Mosquito
bites:
Technically, a mosquito doesn't bite, she
pierces the skin with a needle like nose called
a proboscis. Saliva is injected into the skin
which contains a local anesthetic so that the
victim can't feel the bite and an anticoagulant,
to keep the blood flowing.
Mosquito bite
symptoms:
Common symptoms of mosquito bites include;
Treating
mosquito bites:
Below are some methods that can help to reduce
the itchiness of a mosquito bite. They can be
used individually, or together if necessary.
-
Don't
scratch the bite as this can lead to
secondary bacterial infections.
-
Apply ice
to the area. This will relieve itching &
help reduce swelling.
-
Apply
calamine lotion to the area.
-
Rub soap
directly onto the bite.
-
There are several over the counter topical
or oral antihistamine products to treat
mosquito bites. Oral antihistamine may cause
drowsiness.
Why do
mosquito bites itch?
The annoying itch of a mosquito bite is caused
by an immune response which reacts to proteins
in the mosquito saliva causing localised mast
cells & circulating basophils to release
histamine. Histamine triggers an inflammatory
response, causing fluid to leak from small blood
vessels into surrounding tissue, leading to
swelling and itching.
Mosquito
prevention:
Prevention is always better than cure & there
are several ways to reduce mosquitoes including;
-
Install
fine meshed fly screens on all windows and
doors. Check & repair tears & rips if/when
they occur.
-
Eliminate
standing water around the house from
children's pools, plant pot trays, buckets
etc.
-
Wear
loose fitting clothing that cover most of
you (ie; long sleeved tops and pants).
-
Wear
light coloured clothing, mosquitoes are
attracted to dark colours.
-
Install
an electric mosquito zapper.
Mosquito
repellents:
Insect repellents are effective in repelling
mosquitoes, but read the product instructions
carefully as they may not be suitable for
children. They will need to be re-applied at
regular intervals.
Natural
mosquito repellents:
