A Miami study offers fresh answers to the age-old question: why do mosquitoes bite some people more often?
August 5, 09:30
Researchers at Florida International University tested 119 volunteers in Miami and found that mosquito preferences depend on smell, and that these preferences differ by species. The scent is shaped by skin bacteria and the chemical compounds they create. In the experiment, each volunteer placed a hand into a special tube, and three mosquito species were given the chance to respond to that person's odor.
The species used were Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, and Culex quinquefasciatus. Their behaviors were not identical:
- Aedes aegypti was slightly more likely to approach men;
- the other two species did not distinguish between men and women.
Skin bacteria transform compounds released by the skin into volatile organic compounds, which mosquitoes can sense, the researchers explain.
The study also showed that Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus seem to avoid certain smells, whereas Aedes albopictus actively pursues specific attractive compounds. Across all participants, the scientists identified 246 groups of skin bacteria; only one group was common to everyone. Three bacterial groups were more abundant in people who were most often selected by mosquitoes, suggesting a possible link between skin microbes and mosquito appeal.
The researchers caution that the attraction mechanism still calls for further investigation.
The findings could support the development of better mosquito repellents or lead to ways of altering the skin's microflora to make people less attractive to these insects. Science Alert reported on the research. Since mosquitoes can spread diseases, understanding their choices may ultimately help reduce the transmission of illnesses carried by these insects, especially as global warming shifts environmental conditions.