Detection of haematologic effects of mosquito biting using an animal model

The studies on haematologic changes in humans or animals as a result of mosquito bites are few. This study was undertaken to examines changes in the blood picture of mice (Mus musculus) exposed to Culex pipiens biting. Mice exposed to mosquito bites either once or twice (with 7 days between the two bites) showed insignificantly higher (P >0.05) counts of the total blood cells, platelets and hemoglobin content than normal mice with the highest level (11 %) was in WBCs following the second bite. Mosquito biting exerts its effects largely upon the differential WBCs. Exposure of mice once or twice to mosquito bites resulted in increased numbers of the 5 WBC types. Compared to control mice cells, the highest (P<0.01) levels of basophils (7.19-fold, 72.02 cells/ul), eosinophils (3.59-fold, 216.06 cells/ ul), monocytes (1.34-fold, 288.08 cells/ul) & lymphocytes (1.29 -fold, 1833.74 cells/ul) were after the second bite. Segmented neutrophils significantly (P<0.01) decreased by 2% & 5% of the normal mice count following first and second bite, respectively.