Are you a magnet for mosquitoes?


https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/10/221027124001.htm
Have you ever noticed that there were more mosquito bites on your body than normal?
Some of us are more prone to mosquito bites than others and there are many factors that
contribute to how appealing you are to mosquitoes. Our CO2 exhalations, body heat, and body
odor are some factors that contribute to how appealing you might be to a mosquito. Some other
factors you might not consider to be a reason why you have so many mosquito bites are gender,
consuming garlic or bananas, blood type, and blood sugar level.
In a study by the Rockefeller University, it was found that fatty acids on the skin emanate
a scent that mosquitoes can’t resist and the quantity of those fatty acids on the skin may be the
reason why some are more prone to mosquito bites. Participants were asked to wear nylons on
their arms for hours a day in a three-year study and mosquitoes were placed in chambers with
these nylons and observed as the mosquitoes flew to one nylon or the other. Some nylons were
more attractive to the mosquitoes than others. Chemical analysis techniques were then used to
identify molecular compounds that were elevated in sebum of attractive participants. Carboxylic
acids were at higher concentrations on the more attractive nylons. These substances are found in
the sebum and are used by bacteria on our skin to produce the human odor that attracts
mosquitoes.
Specifically, humans mainly produce two classes of odors with two sets of odor
receptors, Orco and IR receptors. When researchers created mutants that were missing one of the
receptors to see if mosquitoes were unable to spot humans, Orco and IR mutants were still able
to target humans. This demonstrates that manipulating the mosquito scent tracker will be a
challenge, but a possible method of combating mosquito attacks for the future could be
manipulating our skin microbiomes to be less attractive to mosquitoes.

Alissa Ngo (9)

Comments

  1. Elizabeth HardyNovember 16, 2022 at 8:32 PM

    This is fascinating, especially because I am more prone to mosquito bites than others. I took a 23 and me DNA test and my miscellaneous results told me that mosquitoes are more attracted to me because of my DNA. I’m not sure what my blood type is, but maybe that has something to do with it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousNovember 19, 2022 at 7:05 PM

      Hi Elizabeth! That is really interesting. I didn't know that a DNA test could tell you anything about mosquitoes and their attraction. I wonder how mosquitoes can differentiate between things and DNA as I thought they would be more attracted to the surfaces of our skin. Nonetheless that is really cool and I would take a 23 and me test one day.

      Delete
  2. AnonymousNovember 16, 2022 at 8:46 PM

    This is really cool, and i like that you included the application to this research. If a odor based preventative treatment were possible, do you think it would be effective enough to reduce the frequency of diseases such as malaria among humans?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousNovember 16, 2022 at 8:46 PM

      (samantha bunner)

      Delete
    2. AnonymousNovember 19, 2022 at 7:07 PM

      I definitely think that if a odor based preventative treatment were possible, it could be effective enough to reduce the frequency of diseases among humans. If there was a way that mosquitoes wouldn't be able to detect humans or are not attracted to humans, they would be less likely to bite us and spread disease.

      Delete
  3. AnonymousNovember 17, 2022 at 8:08 AM

    Hi Alissa! It was really interesting to learn why mosquitoes are more attracted to certain people over others. I was surprised to hear that when one of our odor receptors was mutated, mosquitoes were still able to find humans. With our current knowledge on mosquitoes, do you know any other ways we could potentially create treatments that could lower our attractiveness to mosquitoes?
    - Sarah Belcher

    ReplyDelete
  4. Victoria FlynnNovember 17, 2022 at 12:44 PM

    Hi Alissa, I wonder this question every time I go outside and get surrounded by mosquitoes; they really are the absolute worst. I always seem to wonder why I end up with more bug bites that everyone else. I suppose I'm glad that there is some method to mosquito attraction as this means I can potentially do something about it. Do you believe that in the future consideration of these factors can help us to create the perfect mosquito repellent? What do you think they would do - find a scent mosquitos dislike?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousNovember 19, 2022 at 7:09 PM

      Hi Victoria! I do believe that in the future, these factors can help us create the perfect mosquito repellent or even a mask. Somehow manipulating what the mosquitoes can detect can repel them from us and prevent them from being able to track us down miles away.

      Delete

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