I received this by email today (from my cousin Vinnie):
I’ve searched the forums and tried to find this on snopes with no luck. Is this actually for real? Can a layman/woman search the New England Journal of Medicine online?
CNN article on the subject.
No urban legend. But, nothing to run away screaming about. The possibilities are miniscule. This Minnesotan will keep on slappin.
Story made it across the Atlantic,
Anyway, I’ve been flicking them all my life-- I’m not a fan of little mangled mosquito corpses littering my arms.
Thanks!
Perhaps I could hijack this thread to ask whether there is any truth in the statement that, if you discover a mosquito feeding on your forearm, you can ‘pump’ your hand, causing the blood pressure in the veins to rise and causing the mosquito’s body to burst?
I have edited the thread title. In the future please try to choose more descriptive titles. That way folks don’t have to open the thread to find out what it’s about.
bibliophage
moderator GQ
I’ve also heard rumors that although mosquitoes cannot transmit HIV, etc. directly through a bite, if she has recently fed on someone else and then you slap her, the blood inside her gut could infect you through a cut on your skin. Pretty slim chance of that happening, though.
I’ve observed my male cousin kill many mosquitoes by flexing his arm muscles while being bitten. I tried it, but never succeeded.
While you’re all here…
Do mosquitoes transmit diseases by biting creature “A” and transfering blood by biting creature “B”? The blood is digested in the gut so that the offspring cannot transmit a disease without first biting an infected creature?
Oh jesus christ on a bandwagon.
The alarmists have, once again, tied our collective panties in a knot.
One woman died of a freak infection! ONE woman. Run for the hills, buy a generator…build a bomb shelter! The end is near! Yeeesh! :rolleyes:
Oooohhh, flicking mosquitos. Damn, do I feel stupid now…
That is all it took? Bugger should have sent the mozzies in earlier.
Excuse me! My panties are tangle free, thank you. I thought this had to be a legend, but when I couldn’t confirm that on my own, I brought it to the place where I thought my ignorance would be fought, and it was. What I found out is that this is actually true. I’m not going to lose any sleep over it, I’m not going to imply the sky is falling, I’m not going spam it across the internet. I may remember to flick next time, but I can’t even guarantee that. But now I know one more thing, my ignorance is less, and the good fight has been fought. You should perhaps cut down on the caffeine, though. Thanks to all who favored me with a factual response.
:smack: Aye aye aye! Sorry. After re-reading my post I realized how insulting it came across. I was in no way directing my quip at your inquiry. I too, was questioning the validity of the mosquito report. I see that the report is no hoax but I do find it alarmist. I should have aimed my shotgun in the Pit. Again, I apologize.
Apology accepted, no harm, no foul! 
When a mosquito is biting you, kill the damn thing! Do you know how many eggs a female mosquito can lay after gulping down a copious amount of fresh blood vs. drinking plant nectar?