A smaller, non-representative study a few years ago also examined another aspect. More specifically, the role of alcohol. In a test group consisting of 13 people (twelve men aged 20 to 58 and one 24-year-old woman) and one control person (a 30-year-old man), the consumption of beer was first analyzed to see how alcohol affects sweat, sweat production and skin temperature.
The researchers measured all three factors before and after consuming 350 milliliters of beer with a 5.5 percent ethanol concentration. This resulted in a picture that at first glance seemed clear: “Our study demonstrated that the proportion of mosquitoes that landed on the volunteers increased after drinking beer compared to before drinking, which clearly shows that alcohol consumption stimulates mosquito attraction.”
However, the Japanese scientists behind the study made one caveat. Ethanol content in sweat and body temperature showed no correlation between alcohol intake and mosquito landing. From this they concluded at least that “people who drink alcohol should be cautious because of an increased risk of mosquito bites.”
