Skeeter Syndrome It’s Happening Now In South Louisiana
Recent heavy rains at the hands of Tropical Storm Barry and just afternoon downpours have left a lot of Louisiana with a standing water problem. Where there is a standing water problem a mosquito problem usually follows. Such is the case for many of us and that has given rise to a term known in the medical community as Skeeter Syndrome.
Don't worry, the name sounds a lot fancier than what the syndrome actually is. Skeeter Syndrome is the moniker given to an above-average allergic reaction that some of us have as a result of being bitten by a mosquito. The symptoms include a raised reddish whelp around the bite area. There is also a lot of itching and discomfort. Sounds a lot like a mosquito bite doesn't it? That's because it is.
The reaction in the human body is a result of proteins injected in the saliva of the mosquito. Those proteins are an anticoagulant and they help the insects feed on the blood of their victims without the blood clotting.
While Skeeter Syndrome is not particularly dangerous, other than the ill effects you might suffer as a result of being bitten by a mosquito, it could warrant professional care if there are multiple bites, the reaction has been more severe than usual, the bites have occurred on the face, or the bites have been inflicted on small children.
In most cases, a trip to the doctor will result in the prescription of an antihistamine or the use of steroids to help quell the itching. Health care professionals suggest that you use your normal mosquito avoidance practices to keep from being bitten. They also suggest that you clear your property of areas of standing water where mosquitoes are most likely to breed.