Mosquitos are arguably one of the most notorious pests of the summer. Everyone has fallen victim to their annoying bites, but it seems that some people are more susceptible than others. People have hypothesized that being a woman or a child, having high blood sugar, breathing harder, or eating bananas could be reasons for why people get bit more. However, a study done at Rockefeller University has found another reason for why people may be 'mosquito magnets'. A study was done on participants who were tasked to were nylon stocking on their arms for 6 hours a day for multiple days. Taking these stockings, the group analyzed the effect that they had on the behavior of a certain kind of mosquito, the Aedes Aegypti mosquito. These stockings were placed a chamber full of these mosquitos and the attractiveness of each stocking was recorded. Surprisingly, the study found that one pair of nylon sleeves were especially attractive. This participants data was analyzed with the the other top ranking participants, and they found that there were some significant differences. Data analysis showed that 'mosquito magnets' produced higher rates of carboxylic acid which is made by the bacteria on the skin. While the results from the study were not able to state the clear cause of being a 'mosquito magnet', they found that the microbiota on our skin has a lot to do with the attraction of mosquitos. This carboxylic acid, along with fatty acid production, could be a reason why some people are more attractive than others in the eye of a mosquito.
De Obaldia, M. E., Morita, T., Dedmon, L. C., Boehmler, D. J., Jiang, C. S., Zeledon, E. V., Cross, J. R., & Vosshall, L. B. (2022). Differential mosquito attraction to humans is associated with skin-derived carboxylic acid levels. Cell, 185(22), 4099–4116.e13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2022.09.034
Interesting study Logan! I can definitely say that I am more susceptible to mosquito bites than others especially when I go to India. There are many reasons why people get bit more which makes me wonder if one blood type is more prone to mosquito bites than others. I found a research suggesting that mosquitoes fed on O blood group the most (Prasadini et al., 2019). They were also more attracted to A antigens compared to B and they may be able to detect antigens in a human through their saliva or tears, however more research is needed on this.
ReplyDeleteManushika Prasadini, Dilakshini Dayananda, Sachini Fernando, Iresha Harischandra, Nissanka De Silva, Blood Feeding Preference of Female Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes for Human Blood Group Types and Its Impact on Their Fecundity: Implications for Vector Control, American Journal of Entomology. Volume 3, Issue 2, June 2019 , pp. 43-48. doi: 10.11648/j.aje.20190302.13
Ah, a debate brought forth everytime there is a family gathering in the summer. Mosquitos are pests no doubt, which is likely the reason that their populations are controlled using the sterile insect technique (SIT), largely used on the Aedes aegypti mosquito, mostly to sterilize the disease spreading individuals (CDC).
ReplyDeleteI found another study in which they found confirmed the findings of your study. That being that carboxylic acids are a main proponent in the attraction of mosquitoes, but the production of this carboxylic acid by microbiota is fueled by sweat. Specific ammonia compounds excreted by out eccrine glands is fed upon by certain forms of microbiota, as well as being another potential cause of attraction to mosquitoes. In my opinion we as a society should not have to watch out ammonia outputs, and should rather focus on eradicating the pest known as the mosquito.
https://www.cdc.gov/mosquitoes/mosquito-control/community/emerging-methods/irradiated.html#
Smallegange RC, Verhulst NO, Takken W. Sweaty skin: an invitation to bite? Trends Parasitol. 2011 Apr;27(4):143-8. doi: 10.1016/j.pt.2010.12.009. Epub 2011 Jan 20. PMID: 21256083.
This is an interesting study Logan! I would 100% agree that mosquito's are annoying especially during the summer or at night. My experience with mosquito's have been dreadful especially when I visit Belize a country in Central America. Belize is known for it's heat even before the summer begins. My last visit to Belize involved with me being bit my mosquito's throughout my arms which resulted both my arms to become swollen within 24 to 48 hrs. I was out at night with a sweater on which covered my arms, however mosquito's still managed to get under. The hypothesis that sweat may also attract mosquito's makes a lot sense become of the heat being generated from our bodies that may also give out a scent. A study conducted elucidated the notion that the microbiota may play an essential role in reducing the mosquito population. A long time issue has been insecticide resistance which poses a threat to the environment. In contrast, a mosquito's microbiota for population control minimizes the problem of resistance and show minimal negative effects to the environment. This study is centralized around the bacteria Wolbachia genus. Recent research is also focusing on the gut microbiome given that the midgut microbiota can have an affect on the infection of malaria parasite in the host mosquito .
ReplyDeleteHuang, Wei, Sibao Wang, and Marcelo Jacobs-Lorena. "Use of microbiota to fight mosquito-borne disease." Frontiers in genetics 11 (2020): 196.