WHETHER staying at home or heading off to sunnier climes for a break this summer, it is worth making sure you are protected against mosquito bites.

A mosquito bite can cause a simple red itchy lump on the skin but some mosquitoes in tropical countries carry serious diseases such as malaria and yellow fever.

In the UK the mosquito season can run from April to October depending on the weather – mosquitoes like warm and wet conditions and tend to inhabit warm damp grassy areas.

Some people, whether in the UK or abroad, are more likely to get bitten due to a number of factors according to Dr Anjali Mahto, consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson.

She says: “An estimated 10 to 20 per cent of people are highly attractive to mosquitoes and consistently get bitten more often than their counterparts.”

But she adds that while genetics are thought to count for up to 85 per cent of our susceptibility to insect bites, scientists have a number of ideas about why some of us are more prone to being ravaged by mosquitoes than others.

Studies going back to the early 1970s suggest that mosquitoes prefer people with the most common blood type O. They land on the skin of people with Type O nearly twice as often as those with Type A, while those with Type B fall midway between the two.

It is thought this is because a large number of people secrete sugars through the skin depending on their blood type and the insects can sense this.

Dr Mahto explains that mosquitoes are also attracted to the carbon dioxide people exhale in their breath. Anyone who exhales more gas, usually large people, are more likely to get bitten.

Mosquitoes also like other substances such as lactic acid, uric acid, ammonia, steroids and cholesterol secreted in skin and sweat. “Strenuous exercise can result in a build-up of lactic acid which may make individuals more susceptible.

“Pregnant women are more susceptible to bites than their non-pregnant counterparts. This is, however, likely to be due to the fact that they exhale relatively more carbon dioxide and have a higher resting body temperature,” adds Dr Mahto.

It seems that the insects are also attracted to certain colours like black and dark blue as they use vision as well as scent to find their targets. It is best to dress in light colours to reduce the risk of being bitten.

Dr Mahto says insect repellent with 20 per cent diethyltouamide (DEET) will protect people for up to five hours while weaker repellents with 10 per cent DEET can be used on children from the age of two months.

“Other chemical agents available include icaridin and IR3535. They differ slightly in their effectiveness and characteristics but all work in the same way, producing an odour that is unpleasant to mosquitoes,” she says.

There are some plant-based repellents like citronella, lemon eucalyptus and neem which can be used but are not as effective as DEET and should not be used as the only protection where malaria exists.

Anyone bitten by a mosquito can take antihistamines to relieve the itching and swelling, while a mild steroid cream like hydrocortisone can reduce the inflammation and itching. Calamine lotion and a cold compress to the bitten area may also help.

If the bite becomes infected, resulting in a discharge, people should go to the doctor and may be prescribed antibiotics.