Skeeter syndrome

Abstract

Large local reactions to mosquito bites are underdiagnosed and are sometimes assumed to have an infectious etiology when in fact they are caused by allergenic polypeptides in the mosquito saliva.1 Young children, immune-deficient persons, and immigrants or visitors to an area with indigenous mosquitoes to which they have not been previously exposed are at increased risk for severe reactions to mosquito bites. Here we report how specific and sensitive ELISAs using mosquito salivary gland extract as the antigen enabled us to recognize and to describe skeeter syndrome for the first time.