A rare allergic disease due to mosquito bite: Skeeter syndrome

Introduction
Severe allergic reactions to mosquito bites are rarely seen.

Aim
To determine the demographic and distinguishing clinical characteristics of Skeeter syndrome, a severe allergic reaction to mosquito allergy, in childhood.

Material and methods
All patients diagnosed with Skeeter syndrome who presented to our Pediatric Allergy and Immunology outpatient clinic between January 2019 and December 2024 were included in the study. The demographic, laboratory, and clinical data of the patients were retrospectively obtained from the hospital’s computerized database.

Results
A total of 15 patients with a mean age of 4.4 ±3.2 years were included in the study, of whom 11 (73%) were male. Eight (50%) patients had an additional atopic disease, 13 (86.6%) had recurrent Skeeter syndrome, 8 (50%) had a family history of atopy in first-degree relatives, and 2 (13%) had a family history of a similar disease in first-degree relatives. In 11 (73%) patients, induration was accompanied by a bullous lesion. In 4 (27%) patients, induration resembling cellulitis was present without bullous formation. The induration diameters ranged from 5 to 20 cm, while bullous lesions ranged from 1 to 5 cm. Pruritus was present in 12 (80%) patients, tenderness in 3 (20%), and low-grade fever in 1 patient. The treatment duration ranged from 7 to 14 days. None of the patients had an identified immunodeficiency.

Conclusions
Skeeter syndrome is a recurrent allergic disease. The presence of vesicles/bullae at the center of a large local reaction, along with a detailed medical history, is a distinguishing feature.