Causes and risk factors
As the name suggests the complaints are caused due bite of a mosquito. The human perspiration consists of certain chemicals and carbon di oxide, based on this odor of the perspiration the female mosquitoes are attracted .The female mosquito possess a sting at the mouth part which it uses for piercing the skin while biting the host. As the mosquito bites the host it sucks the human blood and at the same time pushes the saliva into the human body. At times along with this saliva certain unwanted diseases causing agents (bacteria, virus) can also be transmitted giving rise to mosquito borne diseases.
Clinical presentation:
The symptoms can range from mild to severe form. Most of the mosquito bite are harmless however they can at times give rise to flu like complaints also. Immediately after a mosquito bite the patient experiences a itching at the site of affection. Pricking type of sensation is felt. The affected site becomes red and a small bump occurs. In severe cases it can give rise to complaints like fever, chills, bodyache, headache etc. Mosquito bite can lead to malaria, west Nile fever, encephalitis and dengue fever.
Investigations:
Diagnosis can be done on the basis of the symptoms narrated by the patients and the physical examination carried out by the doctor. The detail history taken from the patient will help the doctor to evaluate the cause. Simple mosquito bites do not need any investigations. In cases where generalized complaints occur investigations like routine blood test or specialized blood smear, dengue test or malaria test are recommended by the consultant.
Treatment:
Avoidance of the triggering factors is the main line of treatment.Mosquitoe bumps heal on its own and do not need any medical intervention.Mosquitoe repellants are easily available over the counters.In cases of dengue or malarial fever appropriate treatment is planned. Vector control is the only preventive method. Bed nets and long sleeved covered clothes can be helpful to prevent oneself from the mosquito bite. Proper hygiene and maintenance of sanitation should be adopted.
Other modes of treatment:
The other modes of treatment can also be effective in treating the complaints. Homoeopathy is a science which deals with individualization considers a person in a holistic way. This science can be helpful in combating the symptoms. Similarly the ayurvedic system of medicine which uses herbal medicines and synthetic derivates are also found to be effective in combating the sufferings.
Recent updates:
Eradication of the mosquito is the important preventive measure which has been adopted worldwide. The mosquito transmits malaria to over 200 million people around the world each year.
