Mosquitoes – bites, diseases, allergies, remedies for mosquitoes. What do you need to know about mosquitoes in Poland? WE EXPLAIN

Proven content

Mosquitoes are common insects around the globe, known in Poland mainly for their itchy bites. Mosquito bites are especially unpleasant for people who are allergic to these insects. Some species of mosquitoes are also carriers of dangerous diseases – fortunately, they are not present in Poland at present. What is the threat to humans are mosquitoes? What are the remedies for mosquitoes and how to relieve symptoms after being bitten?

Mosquitoes in Poland – what do you need to know about them?

There are nearly 3,5 thousand people worldwide. species of mosquitoes, of which 47 are observed in Poland. They are the most common in our country common mosquitoes (buzzing) i moth mosquitoes. It is generally recognized that mosquitoes living in Poland do not pose a threat to human health and life, as they are not a source of bacterial or viral infectious diseases. On rare occasions, however, our native mosquitoes transmit heartworm disease, a disease caused by nematodes and develops mainly in dogs and only occasionally in humans.

Mosquitoes in Poland are capable of transmitting malaria – this disease was present in Poland in the 50s, but in the 60s Poland was declared a malaria-free country. Since then, only cases of malaria imported from other countries have been found – there are no more than several dozen of them annually.

Now mosquitoes in Poland they are primarily bothersome insects that are the source of itchy bites in spring and summer. For people allergic to mosquito saliva, bites can cause more severe skin reactions, but are usually not dangerous.

Mosquito or komarzyca – which insect bites?

They are only responsible for the itchy sting female mosquitoes – they feed on the blood of animals, including humans. They need blood and its ingredients to lay eggs, while male mosquitoes feed on plant juices. Komarzyca lays up to two thousand eggs during its life, and the larvae develop in the aquatic environment. Therefore, usually the most mosquitoes can be found near water reservoirs. Interestingly, mosquito larvae they clean water reservoirs from pollutants and bacteria, thus fulfilling the filtering function.

The female mosquito penetrates the skin thanks to the mouthpiece, which has a stabbing and sucking form and is called a proboscis. In Komarzyca’s saliva there is a substance that prevents blood from clotting, which makes the skin very itchy at the injection site. Among the various animals that become the target of mosquitoes, humans are an extremely tasty morsel for them. Research shows that it is influenced by the smell of human sweat, which is much more attractive to female mosquitoes than the smell of other animals.

While sucking blood, the mosquito secretes a pheromone that attracts more insects. Thus, one mosquito bite may portend the risk of the appearance of more. On probability of being bitten by a mosquito are influenced by various factors, including:

1. air humidity – the higher it is, the more active mosquitoes are;
2. time of day – female mosquitoes feed mainly in the early mornings and evenings;
3. slight sunlight;
4. no wind;
5. blood group – research has shown that mosquitoes willingly attack people with blood group 0;
6. the sweat content of substances such as lactic acid and ammonia;
7. gender – men are more often attacked;
8. alcohol consumption;
9. pregnancy;
10. individual characteristics of the potential host, e.g. body size, perfume used, color of clothes.

If you want to avoid getting bitten, it is worth using appropriate repellent preparations. At Medonet Market you will find a wide selection of different types of mosquito remedies.

Mosquito bite – symptoms

The symptoms of a mosquito bite are quite characteristic and well known. Most often there is a swollen bubble, redness and itching, and sometimes pain symptoms. The intensity of these bite residues may depend on the individual’s sensitivity to mosquito saliva. The symptoms last for a few days and then disappear. However, the condition of the skin may be adversely affected by scratching the bite site. Stronger reactions to the bite and the presence of additional symptoms may suggest allergy to mosquito saliva.

For mosquito bites, try the Antiseptic Maruna Chrysanthemum Herb.

The itching and swelling after an insect bite can be relieved by applying various skin preparations available at the pharmacy. These are usually gels, sprays or patches after bites to reduce itching, redness and skin irritation. In such pharmacy products, we can find, among others menthol, panthenol, aloe, allantoin or essential oils (tea tree or clove). Among home remedies for mosquito bites the soothing properties of honey, lemon juice, crushed basil leaves, tea bag compresses or ice are mentioned.

You can reduce itching and scratching by applying a local Mini-Click to relieve insect bite symptoms. The preparation is convenient to use and you can buy it at a promotional price at medonetmarket.pl.

Mosquito allergy – symptoms and desensitization

Allergic reactions to mosquito saliva are not very common, but they do happen and can take many forms. Usually these are not serious reactions, but some people’s bodies may respond strongly to a bite from a female mosquito. That’s possible symptoms after a mosquito bite in case of allergies have:

1. hives blisters;
2. chronic itching;
3. eczema;
4. lumpy rash;
5. Skeeter’s syndrome, a large local inflammatory reaction that resembles cellulitis, is accompanied by swelling, itchy lumps, vesicles, and sometimes fever;
6. asthma attacks;
7. nausea;
8. vomiting;
9. headaches;
10. joint swelling;
11. angioedema (Quincke’s);
12. anaphylactic shock – this is an extremely rare reaction to a mosquito bite.

In the event of an allergic reaction to a mosquito bite antihistamines can be used. In severe allergic reactions with itchy follicular lesions, corticosteroids are also used, and in severe cases, administration of prednisone may be indicated.

For a long time, mosquito allergy was not diagnosed frequently enough, which also made effective treatment difficult. However, thanks to recombinant saliva allergens, mosquitoes have a chance to diagnose the disease more effectively. In special cases, desensitization may be performed – it has some limitations, therefore it is rarely performed, mainly in people with severe generalized symptoms after a mosquito bite.

Read more: Insect venom allergy – causes, symptoms and treatment

Remedies for mosquitoes – preparations and home methods

The key to fighting mosquito bites is prophylaxis, i.e. the use of proven methods to prevent bites. Popular methods of deterring and fighting mosquitoes include:

1. preparations for repelling mosquitoes and other insects, i.e. repellants – incl. DEET (effective diethyltoluamide, which is toxic to children), dimethylphthalate (DMP), as well as agents with citronella oil and vitamin B;
2. mosquito nets, mosquito nets;
3. suitable clothing with long sleeves and legs;
4. insecticide devices;
5. insecticidal spraying against mosquitoes used outdoors.

Various home methods are also used in the fight against mosquitoes. Some of them work effectively – albeit briefly natural substances that repel mosquitoes, e.g. camphor and essential oils (lavender, clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus, bergamot, thyme, nutmeg or geranium). The home remedies for mosquitoes also include the use of insect repellent plants (including flies, flies and cockroaches). The following are effective plants for mosquitoes and products derived therefrom:

1. fennel;
2. komarzyca (plektrantus koleusowaty);
3. basil;
4. pelargonium;
5. pepper mint;
6. common thyme;
7. narrow-leaved lavender;
8. fassena catnip;
9. common myrtle;
10. heliotrop peruwiański.

Also check: What repels mosquitoes? Insecticides and home remedies for mosquitoes

Are you looking for an effective remedy for mosquitoes and ticks? Try Stop Sanity Tick

What diseases do mosquitoes transmit?

Although the mosquitoes that occur in Poland are not the carriers of serious diseases, even the mosquitoes inhabiting tropical and subtropical zones can pose a serious threat to health. Down diseases transmitted by certain species of mosquitoes belong:

1. malaria – or malaria, a disease caused by protozoa spread by mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles; up to 220 million people worldwide suffer from malaria, of which between 1 and 3 million die; in Poland, malaria appears as a disease imported from abroad;
2. dengue – a viral disease typically found in Southeast Asia and Africa, its vector is mainly Egyptian mosquitoesei tiger mosquitoes; ca. 50-390 million people suffer from it annually, of which an average of 25 thousand. cases end in death; there is no vaccine for dengue;
3. yellow fever – a viral disease transmitted by Egyptian mosquitoes; you can get vaccinated against fever, immunizing for an average of 10 years;
4. Japanese encephalitis – you can catch it after being bitten by mosquitos culex; some patients (1%) develop encephalitis, which is fatal in almost a third of cases; thanks to the vaccine one can acquire immunity against the disease for three years;
5. filariosis (heartworm disease) – a disease caused by nematodes that occurs in Southern Europe, Southeast Asia, North America and Australia; rarely its cases are recorded in Poland;
6. Rift valley fever (RVW) – the disease is recorded mainly in Africa, but also appeared in Yemen and Saudi Arabia; most often it is mild, most patients recover; is treated symptomatically.

Other mosquito-borne diseases include West Nile fever, chikungunya fever, and diseases caused by the Zika virus and Sindbis virus.

Check it out: The mosquito can transmit dangerous parasites. How can you protect yourself from it?

Mosquitoes and malaria in Poland

Although malaria is associated with a tropical disease, it was still present in Poland in the 50s. It is suspected that winter, that is, malaria caused illness in Poland as early as the XNUMXth century. At that time, however, the diagnosis of the disease might not have been accurate due to the fact that it was guided by the clinical picture. It can be confirmed, however, that malaria in Poland occurred with significant intensity during the First and Second World War.

The spread of malaria in Poland in the first half of the 1941th century was influenced by the general situation caused by armed conflicts, low sanitary standards, and the movement of people and troops. In the years 1943–1000, about XNUMX cases of malaria were recorded in Warsaw alone. After the end of the war, it became possible to treat malaria more effectively, and in addition, actions to combat mosquitoes and their larvae were carried out.

In our country, malaria was extinguished in the 50s and now Poland is a malaria-free countryand the only reported cases concern cases imported from other countries. The likelihood of malaria returning to Poland may exist, but it seems low, because the strain of malaria plague (previously transmitted by our mosquitoes) (Plasmodium vivax hibernans), which was well adapted to our climate, no longer exists in Europe.

Also, climate change itself does not necessarily mean that malaria will appear in Poland – this is just one factor contributing to the spread of this disease. Others include mass migrations of people, natural disasters (e.g. floods creating conditions for mosquitoes to reproduce) or the collapse of the health care system.

Read also:

1. Hornet, bee, wasp, bumblebee stings. What to do after a bite?
2. Arachnid bites – symptoms of a spider bite
3. Flies – insect bite and allergy. Poisoning the body after a nap bite