Not all people like mosquitoes. Some, however, are downright attacked by the buzzing insects, turning their evening walk or nighttime sleep into a real nightmare. Surely, many of us have wondered why some people get bitten more by mosquitoes while others don’t. Recent studies have revealed that mosquitoes choose their “victims” by weight, skin color or smell, writes Medical News Today, which analyzed what types of people mosquitoes attract.
There are more than 3,500 species of mosquitoes, but only a few of them bite humans, and only the females of these species, as they need blood as a source of protein for their eggs.
To obtain it, they pierce the skin of their chosen host using their needle-like proboscis. It results in a bite which then swells and causes local itching. But the same bite can cause serious illness in certain regions of the world.
Even if you live somewhere where a bite poses no risk of disease, the shrill sound of a mosquito is an unwanted noise.
Itching and swelling from a bite can last for several days. Scratching the itch can lead to infection and, for a very few people, an allergic reaction that could lead to anaphylactic shock.
Why me?
Surely you have come home from a barbecue or a trip “riddled” with mosquito bites and found that others from the same outing were not bitten at all. What makes mosquitoes enjoy some people while apparently ignoring others?
“Why mosquitoes are attracted to humans has been discussed in several studies, looking at body odor, skin color and texture, body temperature, microbes living on the surface of the skin, carbon dioxide exhaled by humans, alcohol consumption and type of diet. In general, studies suggest that pregnant women, people with a higher body temperature and who sweat a lot, the presence of various microbes on the skin and people with darker skin may be more prone to being bitten by mosquitoes,” said Dr. Jagdish Khubchandani, professor of public health at the University of New Mexico, for Medical News Today.
But the answer is not simple – chemicals that attract some mosquito species have been shown to repel others. And humans produce thousands of different chemicals, so figuring out which ones affect mosquito behavior is far from easy.
As a result of cellular respiration, humans and especially all animals release carbon dioxide, heat and moisture. These things initially attract mosquitoes. Some research suggests that the higher the CO2 output, the greater the attraction. “Individuals with greater body mass appear to be more attractive to mosquitoes.”
Several studies have identified lactic acid as another chemical that mosquitoes are attracted to. Pregnant women are among the people who unwittingly attract the pesky bug.
More than one study has investigated whether blood type has any effect on the likelihood of being bitten. That’s good news for those with blood type A – mosquitoes seem to find this type less attractive – but not so good for blood type 0 (zero).
2023-07-04 08:22:05
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