We’re talking, of course, about the common mosquito. It’s a tiny terror that the World Health Organization estimates is responsible for the deaths of more than 1 million people around the world each year. Its bites cause malaria, which is the disease behind most of the deaths, and the WHO pegs the worldwide caseload at somewhere between 300 million and 500 million each year.
Smithsonian magazine notes that approximately 20 percent of people are particular targets for mosquitos. They are attracted to certain blood types, particularly Type O, the most common blood category. And even if you don’t have that, about 85 percent of people secrete a chemical signal that reveals the blood type to the mosquito.
Worse, mosquitos are attracted to carbon dioxide, emitted when you breathe. That means if you’re a large person, it’s mosquito heaven. Sweat, skin bacteria and high body temperatures also attract the bugs, and pregnancy is a particular marker. Even worse news – if you drink beer, mosquitos may love you to death. No one knows why, but it brings them out in droves.
Although the mosquito is the worst of the worst when it comes to causing death, they aren’t believed to be the worst stinging and biting offenders. The majority of insect stings in the United States are attributed to hornets, wasps, yellow jackets and bees. That may be because no one is bothering to call the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from their backyard barbecue to report stings, but it’s what current statistics show. The red or black fire ant is a big contributor as well to the insect-bitten ranks.
Bug bites are more than an annoyance. They can spread diseases, and many of them cause pain, redness and swelling in the affected areas, with some spreading up the arms and to other parts of the body. Bug bites can cause hives, flushing, itching, and, in some cases, anaphylaxis, a reaction that causes the body to go into life-threatening shock. Tick bites also may cause Lyme disease, which brings on fever, achy joints and severe fatigue.
Such allergic reactions as anaphylaxis are estimated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to occur in 0.4 to 0.8 percent of children, with 3 percent of adults experiencing the problems. About 40 deaths per year are attributed to insect bites in the United States.
How to Prevent Bug Bites
Bug bites are going to happen if you venture outdoors. You can be better prepared, and if you are particularly sensitive or allergic to insect venom, you absolutely should take steps before tragedy occurs.
The key to avoid being bitten is to wear insect repellent and heavy clothing that will ward off insects. Always wear a hat while hiking, and make sure to inspect your clothing before discarding it into a pile in your house. Do not walk barefoot, even in grassy areas. They are particular havens for biting bugs. Indoors, insects love picnic areas, garbage containers, bushes and dark attic eaves. Use caution when accessing them.
You should avoid drinking from open soft drink cans that you aren’t carefully monitoring. Insects love to crawl inside and may react angrily if you stir things up. Likewise, cover any food from your picnic when not directly taking from the containers.
And for heaven’s sake, don’t pile on the aftershave, perfume, hair spray or deodorant before going outside. That’s like waving a red flag to the insect world. Similarly, bright clothing and flower patterns send out the wrong kind of signal.
Fire ants present a particular problem, in that most human-ant encounters result in multiple stings for the human. That’s because disturbing their mound sends thousands of fire ants to the attack, all of them capable of repeated stings because they latch on with their mandibles and chomp away.
This results in boil-like blisters that can appear within a day. It is recommended that you visit a medical professional if you are bitten by fire ants because the real danger lies in a secondary infection of the blister areas. Topical ointments and careful cleaning can prevent infection and may help with itching relief.
Allergists and Future Solutions
Talk to an allergist about your past history with bug bites, including where they occurred and your reaction. You may undergo a skin-prick test, in which a small amount of blood is drawn to gauge reactions to insects.
If you are diagnosed with an allergy, you may receive an epinephrine auto-injector. This is the only treatment approved for anaphylaxis and must be used immediately upon being bitten to ward off the onset of the reaction. Because those who have been reactive once to insect bites are at risk for having a worse reaction the second time, it’s wise for those afflicted to have two such epinephrine auto-injectors on hand. This is true even if your reaction was several years in the past. The system’s ability to react to insect insults persists for many years.
Your allergist may recommend that you undergo allergy shots, which can build tolerance by giving you tiny doses of insect venom. This can take up to five years, but it will lessen the chances of a cataclysmic reaction in the event of an insect encounter.
Whatever your region’s bugs, keep in mind that most healthy adults who are bitten regard the results as more of a nuisance than a life threat. Take reasonable precautions, and you should be able to enjoy the great outdoors with minimal discomfort.