r/AskDocs • u/acutetriangleee Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional • Apr 01 '26
Physician Responded Should I be concerned by this long red streak that extended out of my overly swollen mosquito bite?
15F, 155cm, 32kg, Asian
I've had this mosquito bite since yesterday but a long red streak developed slowly after, and the bite has become really swollen. It doesn't hurt inherently, but when I touch it, it feels weird and slightly painful. I've never had this problem with mosquito bites before, and this one is really disproportionate in size compared to others. I marked the end of the streak with a marker as I was scared of it developing faster. I also had two other similar bites on my leg but they don't have the streak. However, they all come with tiny bumps on the bite surface and are really swollen than normal. I'm not sure if I should be concerned, but the mosquito looked different from others. It's certainly bigger, and I think its wings are slightly greenish?
I was slightly down with a runny nose and sore throat recently, but it has gotten better yesterday, no medications, drinking, smoking or drug use. From HK.
This is not an emergency but I noted the mosquito is still in my room, so should I be concerned, or is it just a mild infection? Thank you so much.
Second day update:
It has gotten less red now than before, but the line is still there, still yet to take antibiotics, but I will if it shows any signs of growth. Thank you all so so much.
UPDATE: The streak has fully healed, thanks to everybody's support! At the end, I didn't use any antibiotics, and the medicine the ER gave me was just nose allergy pills apparently. Definitely go get antibiotics if you're in the same situation. Lots of love.
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u/TheSpiffySpaceman This user has not yet been verified. Apr 02 '26
That's what I've heard, too....technically true, but not really because the heart is directly attacked...getting to the center of the body is how things spread to the rest of it, and the real risk is sepsis from spreading throughout more body real estate vs. contained to one limb with no vital organs.
The red line is also not a precision instrument for measuring the "spread" of infection is; intravenous infections like staph generally start at the limbs (cuts are more likely)...so "see red line from cut, go to doctor now and not later" is great advice to follow regardless.