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Mosquito Bites
Mosquito bites themselves are usually minor, but the resulting discomfort from persistent itchiness is a major frustration for many. It is crucial to learn basic prevention methods. By taking practical steps, you can easily avoid mosquito and midge bites, keeping you safe and reducing exposure to potential insect-borne health risks.
What Are Mosquito Bites and Why Are They Dangerous?
Mosquito bites are the visible, raised bumps left on the skin after a female mosquito feeds on human blood. These common, flying insects are classified as vectors, living organisms capable of carrying and transmitting serious infections and diseases between hosts, including humans and animals. This crucial role in disease transmission highlights why preventing mosquito bites is essential for public health.
Why Mosquitoes Bite: Genetics, Chemistry, and CO2
If you feel like mosquitoes target you more than others, you might be right, it's often due to specific genetic and physiological factors, not just bad luck.
How Mosquitoes Choose Their Victims
Mosquitoes are not biting randomly; about 85% of a person's attractiveness to mosquitoes is governed by genetics. Key factors researchers have identified include:
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Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Output: -
- Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Output: This is possibly the most critical factor. Mosquitoes can detect CO2 from up to 164 feet away and use it as a primary signal to locate a target. People who expel more CO2, such as pregnant women, larger individuals, and those exercising are more likely to be bitten.Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Output: This is possibly the most critical factor. Mosquitoes can detect CO2 from up to 164 feet away and use it as a primary signal to locate a target. People who expel more CO2, such as pregnant women, larger individuals, and those exercising are more likely to be bitten.
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Body Chemistry: Mosquitoes are attracted to: -
- High concentrations of steroids or cholesterol on the skin. This is related to how efficiently a person processes cholesterol, not necessarily their blood cholesterol level.
- Lactic acid from sweat. People who are sweating are more likely to attract thirsty female mosquitoes.
Essential Prevention Steps
Essential Prevention Steps to Avoid Mosquito and Midge Bites
Use insect repellent sprays
Apply to exposed skin and use repelling products or candles when sitting outdoors.
Avoid bright colours
Do not wear bright colours or use strong scents such as perfumes and deodorants as these attract insects.
Avoid areas with water
Keep clear of slow-moving, still, or stagnant water (like ditches, ponds, or swamps), as these are common mosquito breeding sites.
Tuck trousers into socks
When hiking through brush or rough grass and avoid brushing through long grass or bushes.
Limit Outdoor Activity
If possible, limit your time outdoors between dusk and dawn, as this is when many mosquito species are most active and feeding.
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Treatments for Mosquito Bites
In South Africa it is rare for mosquitoes or biting insects to transmit disease. The main risk from mosquito bites is the potential skin irritation.
Reaction to mosquito bites will vary from person to person. Symptoms that develop are just our immune system’s response to their saliva. Mosquitoes don’t actually inject anything into us when they bite.
Advice:
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Clean the wound - this is the most important treatment for a mosquito or midge bite.
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Use a cold compress - swelling can be reduced immediately after a bite by covering it with a cold compress such as ice in a cloth (but never hold ice directly on the skin). It may take more than a week to go down and may remain itchy for several days.
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Take anti-histamines - itchiness and swelling can be relieved with anti-histamine creams for bites and stings. Oral anti-histamine (“hay fever tablets”) can also help especially if you have multiple bites.
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Do not scratch - avoid scratching as this will increase the itch and could lead to the bite becoming infected by bacteria.
Are you worried about your reaction to a mosquito bite?
Young children and those with repeated bites are more likely to develop a severe reaction.
Consult a doctor if:
- The swelling or pain is so severe that it prevents movement or sleeping.
- The swelling continues to worsen more than a day after the bite.
- The bite appears to be infected.
Call an ambulance immediately if a bite causes swelling to the throat, mouth or tongue that restricts breathing.
Need professional treatment for mosquitoes?
At Rentokil, we offer services to control all types of biting insects, including mosquitoes. Our service is fast and effective and offers the highest level of safety for your family and pets.
FAQ'S
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Are mosquitoes a problem in South Africa?
- Yes, they can be. While generally less of an issue in the dry, cooler, or high-altitude areas, mosquitoes are a pest and a health concern in specific regions, primarily due to the risk of malaria.
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Do South African mosquitoes carry malaria?
Yes. Malaria is endemic (occurs naturally) in certain areas. These include:
- North-eastern KwaZulu-Natal (near the Mozambican border).
- Parts of Mpumalanga, particularly the Lowveld areas, including the Kruger National Park (but generally excluding cities like Nelspruit and White River).
Parts of Limpopo.
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What province has the worst mosquitoes (in terms of disease risk)?
- Based on malaria risk, the provinces with the highest concern are Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and KwaZulu-Natal (the far northern section). The highest diversity of mosquitoes has also been noted in areas like Kruger National Park.
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When is malaria season in South Africa?
- The malaria season is generally considered to be from September to May, which spans the warmer and rainier months.
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What time of day are mosquitoes most active in South Africa?
- Mosquitoes that carry malaria (Anopheles species) are generally most active and bite between dusk and dawn. However, other mosquito species may be active during the day.
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Which month are mosquitoes most active?
- Mosquito populations are generally at their highest levels during the hotter and wet months, which in South Africa often means from about January to mid-April.
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What happens if you get bitten by a mosquito in Africa?
- Most mosquito bites result in a minor, itchy reaction.
- In areas where mosquito-borne diseases are present (like parts of South Africa for malaria, or other African countries for diseases like Yellow Fever), a bite from an infected mosquito can transmit a serious illness.
- The biggest risk in specific South African areas is contracting malaria.
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How do I know if I was bitten by a mosquito?
- A typical mosquito bite is a small, round, puffy, and smooth red bump on the skin that appears shortly after the bite and is often intensely itchy.
Unlike bedbug bites, which often appear in a line or cluster, mosquito bites usually happen in a random, isolated pattern.
- A typical mosquito bite is a small, round, puffy, and smooth red bump on the skin that appears shortly after the bite and is often intensely itchy.
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How does a dengue bite look like?
- A bite from the Aedes aegypti mosquito that carries the dengue virus (which is generally not found in South Africa but is present elsewhere in Africa) can look similar to a normal mosquito bite.
- The only way to differentiate is that a bite from an infected mosquito might be described as much redder and itchier than a normal one. The disease itself is diagnosed by the symptoms that follow, not by the appearance of the bite.
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How do I identify what's bitten me?
- Identifying the insect that bit you can be difficult based on the bite alone:
Mosquitoes often leave single, itchy, red, puffy bumps.
Midges, gnats, and mosquitoes generally cause small, itchy papules (lumps).
Bedbugs often leave intensely irritating weals or lumps, sometimes in a line or cluster.
Spiders (non-venomous) cause minor swelling, redness, pain, and itching that lasts a few hours to days. - If you have severe swelling, blistering, pus, or flu-like symptoms, you should seek medical attention.
- Identifying the insect that bit you can be difficult based on the bite alone:
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How do I know if I have a mosquito-borne disease?
- Symptoms for many mosquito-borne diseases (including malaria, dengue, and Chikungunya) can be flu-like:
Fever (sudden onset of high fever and chills)
Headaches (often severe, sometimes behind the eyes)
Muscle and joint pain (or joint swelling)
Rashes
Vomiting - Malaria symptoms may only develop 10–14 days after being bitten.
- The only definitive way to detect a mosquito-borne disease is through specific blood tests ordered by a doctor. Seek immediate medical attention if you have these symptoms after visiting a risk area.
- Symptoms for many mosquito-borne diseases (including malaria, dengue, and Chikungunya) can be flu-like:
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Which is deadlier, malaria or dengue?
- Globally, malaria is considered deadlier than dengue.
- While only a small percentage of people infected with either disease die, malaria causes more deaths worldwide, with estimates suggesting around 400,000 deaths annually (the vast majority in Sub-Saharan Africa).