Fight the Bite

Bugs to watch in our area

When a mosquito bites you, it pierces the skin using a special mouthpart (proboscis) to suck up blood. As the mosquito is feeding, it injects saliva into your skin. Your body reacts to the saliva resulting in a bump and itching.

Some people have only a mild reaction to a bite or bites. Other people react more strongly, and a large area of swelling, soreness, and redness can occur.

Symptoms

Mosquito bite signs include:

A puffy and reddish bump appearing a few minutes after the bite
A hard, itchy, reddish-brown bump, or multiple bumps appearing a day or so after the bite or bites
Small blisters instead of hard bumps
Dark spots that look like bruises

More severe reactions can occur in:

Children
Adults bitten by a mosquito species they haven’t been exposed to previously
People with immune system disorders

Mosquito bite on the back of a boy’s neck. Credit: Getty Images.

People experiencing more severe reactions may have the following signs:

A large area of swelling and redness
Low-grade fever
Hives
Swollen lymph nodes

Treatment

Wash the area with soap and water. Apply an ice pack for 10 minutes to reduce swelling and itching. Reapply ice pack as needed. Apply a mixture of baking soda and water, which can help reduce the itch response. Anti-itch cream for a mosquito bite. Credit: Getty Images. Mix 1 tablespoon baking soda with just enough water to create a paste. Apply the paste to the mosquito bite. Wait 10 minutes. Wash off the paste. Use an over-the-counter anti-itch or antihistamine cream to help relieve itching. Follow the product label directions.

Concerns

Infected bite Do not scratch bites. They can become infected. An infected bite may appear red, feel warm, or a red streak will spread outward from the bite. See a healthcare provider if symptoms worsen. Mosquito-borne diseases Mosquitoes spread germs through bites. Viruses like West Nile and dengue and parasites like malaria can make you sick. A mosquito gets infected with a virus or parasite when it bites a person or animal that is infected. The infected mosquito can spread germs to other people or animals through bites. Not everyone infected with a mosquito-borne germ gets sick.

Reporting Bites

Of the over 200 types of mosquitoes in the United States and US territories, about 12 types spread viruses like West Nile, dengue, Zika, and parasites like malaria. Other are considered “nuisance” mosquitoes. Nuisance mosquitoes bite people, but don’t spread germs.

Local government departments and mosquito control professionals track the numbers and types of mosquitoes in an area and the germs they may be spreading. When infected adult mosquitoes are spreading germs to people, acting quickly can stop further spread and prevent people from getting sick. Professionals share prevention information with the public and use multiple methods at the same time to kill mosquito larvae and adult mosquitoes.

When infected blood-sucking arthropods, such as ticks, bite a person, they can spread tickborne illnesses such as Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Tickborne illnesses occur all over the United States. The best defense against them is to take steps to avoid being bitten by ticks.

Steps To Protect

Avoid tick-infested areas.
Wear light-colored clothing so ticks can be spotted more easily.
Tuck pants legs into socks or boots and shirt into pants.
Tape the area where pants and socks meet so ticks can’t crawl under clothing.
Spray insect repellent containing DEET on clothes and exposed skin (spray on hands and rub on face) treat clothes (especially pants, socks and shoes) with permethrin which kills ticks on contact.
Wear a hat and long-sleeved shirt for added protection.
Walk in the center of trails to avoid long grass and overhanging brush.
After being outdoors inspect body carefully and remove attached ticks with tweezers, grasping the tick as close to the skin surface as possible and pulling straight back with a slow steady force. Avoid crushing the tick’s body.

What To Do When Bit