Allergic reaction to mosquito bites identified for first time—"skeeter syndrome"
MILWAUKEE—Bug bites are a standard annoyance for those who spend time outside during the summer months. The consequence for most is uncomfortable swelling and itching at the site of the bite for a short period of time. However, young children, immune deficient persons and those previously unexposed to mosquitoes are at increased risk for a severe reaction to mosquito bites according to a study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Canadian researchers recently identified this reaction as "skeeter syndrome," defined as mosquito-bite induced large, local inflammatory reactions accompanied by fever.

Large local reactions to mosquito bites are under diagnosed and sometimes assumed to be infectious in nature when in fact, they are the result of an allergic reaction. In this study, researchers studied five healthy children between the ages of two and four with no history of allergy to insect bites. Each had been diagnosed with cellulitis, a bacterial infection of the skin and tissue that is usually found on the face, neck or legs. The children developed extreme redness, swelling, warmth and inflammation within hours of a witnessed mosquito bite. Several months later the children were tested for allergy to mosquito. Blood tests confirmed that the children had been misdiagnosed: the symptoms they experienced were the result of an allergic reaction to a mosquito bite, not cellulitis.

People with skeeter syndrome should minimize their exposure to mosquitoes to avoid experiencing an adverse reaction. It is important to increase the awareness of skeeter syndrome so those affected can avoid unnecessary diagnostic procedures and antibiotic treatments.

[From: "Skeeter syndrome." J Allergy Clin Immunol 1999;104: 705-707.]

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