Konstantinos Koussoukis
Professor of Dermatology, Professor of Law, President of the Hellenic Academy of Medical Medicine, President of the World Academy of Chinese and Complementary Medicine, Vice President of the World Hippocratic Institute of Physicians, former General Secretary of the Hellenic Academy of Medicine. Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Vice Rector of the DUTH
JELLYFISH AND MOSQUITOES: PREVENTION AND TREATMENT FOR SUMMER HAZARDS
Jellyfish and mosquito bites are particularly common in summer and can cause inflammatory or allergic skin reactions.
Jellyfish stings belong to the waterborne skin diseases. They cause intense pain, swelling in the affected area and numbness that can spread to the rest of the limb. These are the most typical symptoms and should be treated immediately.
The bite of mosquitoes causes nothing more than itching. In a small percentage of people an allergy and even an infection can be caused. Typically, those who suffer from the “syndrome Skeepers“, they develop local swelling and often fever within a few hours of the bite, and may even develop anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction that leads to swelling in the throat, pressure drop, wheezing and sepsis. Anaphylaxis requires immediate medical attention. But apart from allergic reactions, an infected mosquito can cause serious diseases such as West Nile virus, Zika virus, dengue fever and malaria. In Greece, in recent years, cases of West Nile virus infection have been recorded, and more rarely malaria.
The treatment of these bites, as well as bites from other insects, spiders, sea urchins, rarely require medical treatment and in the majority of cases can be effectively treated by the patient himself. The aim of treatment is to reduce the rash and accompanying itching on the one hand and to prevent and treat the infection by cleaning the affected area with an antiseptic, while in poisonous specimens, the application of ice and immobilisation of the limb may reduce the local reaction. Also, moderate strength topical steroids administered twice daily for a short period of time, and due to the frequent coexistence of bacterial and fungal contamination, the application of triple topical corticosteroid, antibiotic is required, and antifungal agent, to address inflammation and pruritus while eradicating the involved microbial agent, and in extensive and persistent skin reactions a short course of oral corticosteroids may be given.
Further therapeutic measures include: the topical application of calamine cream or lotion with a calming effect to help relieve the itching, first- or second-generation oral antihistamines for the treatment of night-time itching, which are administered until the itching subsides, and antibiotics, topical or systemic, which are administered in cases of infection until the infection subsides. Special treatment is required in downy mildew by topical application of petroleum jelly to the lesions causing suffocation of the larvae, which are easily removed the next day, and in flea, tick and tick droppings by careful removal with appropriate forceps having fine, narrow and sharp edges applying uniform pressure and gentle force to remove the whole thing.
How to protect ourselves from summer dangers
Particularly with regard to insect bites, general prevention measures recommend: (a) avoiding places where either the insects themselves or their host animals abound; (b) wearing light-coloured clothing that covers the body during the summer months; (c) applying insect repellent formulations such as diethylotoluamide (DEET) 20% for adults, icaridin/picaridin, IR3535, Citriodiol or Eucalyptus citriodora oil on the skin or spraying clothing with permethrin spray; (d) the application of protective netting such as mosquito nets soaked with insecticide at bedtime, especially for infants, children, elderly, pregnant and chronically ill women and in areas with endemic parasitic infections; and (e) the use of sterile mosquito nets.
Special prevention measures at home include: (a) the use of insecticides – insect repellents for the room; (b) spraying insecticides on floors, carpets, furniture, mattresses; (c) screens on doors, windows, skylights and fireplace vents; (d) the removal of sources of standing water such as basins, buckets, potting dishes; and (e) the treatment of flea-infested dogs and cats.
In the context of reducing the places where mosquitoes live and lay their eggs, it is recommended to remove stagnant water at least once a week and to mow grass, bushes, foliage where adult mosquitoes find shelter. For a swimming pool or fountain we put the cleaning filter into operation every day, while for our gardens we give them a slope so that the water is removed and does not stagnate.
Finally, to avoid such bites you should not spend many hours unprotected in the open air, staying still and with the skin exposed, such as sleeping under the stars, by the sea or in the forest, ideal conditions for bites and stings.
