Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!watmath!iuvax!uxc.cso.uiuc.edu!tank!scb1 From: scb1@tank.uchicago.edu (Sam Blackman) Newsgroups: sci.bio Subject: Re: What's the Why and How of Mosquito Bites? Message-ID: <4948@tank.uchicago.edu> Date: 11 Aug 89 14:46:34 GMT References: <5399@mtgzy.att.com> Reply-To: scb1@tank.uchicago.edu (Sam Blackman) Organization: University of Chicago Lines: 42 Well, I guess I'll take it point by point ... >Why does a mosquito bite swell up and itch? Because you are experiencing a localized allergic reaction (as opposed to a systemic allergic reaction) to the mosquito's saliva, which is injected (amongst other things) into your skin. This allergic reaction (ala IgE) causes the release of histamine, which is a vasodialator. The local vasodialation results in the redness and swelling, and I believe that the release of histamine from mast cells causes the itching. >What goes on under the skin? See above ... >How does the mosquito benefit from it? Well first off, only female mosquito's "bite" us. What they are really doing is drawing blood from us. The mosquito has a tube-like probiscus which is inserts into us (along with an anesthetic-type substance). The mosquito then injects it's saliva and withdraws blood, which it uses as food. >Can the mosquito's poison be used to human advantage? I hardly know a poison that is used to human advantage - human demise, that's another story. The mosquito is poison-free - what causes the reaction is it's saliva - and I don't see much human use in that ... >Any pointers to literature? If you're interested in localized allergic reactions, IgE-type reactions, basic immunology, etc. you might want to hit the Rutgers Bookstore and check out their medical books section ... -- Samuel C. Blackman ! InterNet : scb1@tank.uchicago.edu ! Link : ST0426 Apple Student Rep. ! Disclaimer : Does anybody really care what I'm 1155 East 60th St. #325 ! writing anyway ??? Chicago, IL 60637 ! Telephone : (312) 702-8630 (w) (312) 947-8652 (h)