Cases of Skeeter’s Syndrome rise in Hyderabad

At least 30% to 40% increase in cases of Skeeter syndrome or mosquito allergy among Hyderabad patients

Hyderabad: A retrospective analysis of nearly 500 patients from all age groups showed that cases of Skeeter’s syndrome or mosquito allergy were increased by at least 30% to 40% among Hyderabad patients.

Skeeter syndrome, also known as mosquito allergy, occurs when an individual develops an allergy to peptides or proteins present in mosquito saliva. When humans are bitten by mosquitoes, some people do develop Skeeter’s syndrome due to their inherent allergy to the protein.

The increase in cases of Skeeter syndrome was due to longer exposure to more mosquitoes, which was found in both adults and children. As with dengue and malaria, mosquito allergies are more common in colonies and residential areas with gardens, and stagnant water is more likely.

Skeeter syndrome initially manifests as a small rash and itching, burning sensation immediately after a mosquito bite. Three to four hours later, the bite site becomes swollen, sore, and itchy, with hives. After 6 to 7 hours, the rash spreads from the area to other areas of the body, and within a day, the swelling sometimes causes blisters in children.

“When children scratch the rash area repeatedly, it can cause the blisters to burst, followed by dark pigmentation on the skin. These are usually more common in exposed areas, such as the legs below the knees and hands below the elbows, often on the around the neck or face,” said Dr Vyakarnam Nageshwar, a senior allergist who runs the National Allergy Helpline in Hyderabad.

Due to lack of awareness, most people with the disease are often confused and develop rashes and itches in silence. The global gold standard test for diagnosing mosquito allergy is through the painless allergen skin test. The results of these tests will be announced within 20 minutes.

“Through our national helpline in Telangana, we have received several people with similar complaints. Another rare condition is allergy to housefly. Allergy to housefly has led to an increase in patients with allergic rhinitis ,” explains Dr. Vyakarnam.

Immunologists and allergists do treat mosquito and housefly allergies with advanced allergen-specific sublingual immunotherapy. To date, almost 9,000 Telangana patients have been screened for various allergies by the National Allergy Toll Free Line (1800-425-0095).