Mosquito Attraction Tracked to Skin Chemistry
Scientists have clarified why some people draw more bites than others. The amount of a skin-produced compound called carboxylic acid appears to shape how edible a person is to mosquitoes. Those who emit higher levels of this compound become a magnet for bites, while those with lower levels seem less noticeable to the insects.
Lead researchers from Rockefeller University in New York, Leslie Vosshall and María Elena de Obaldia, presented these findings publicly. The results, published in Cell, settle several popular theories about why mosquitoes choose certain humans, moving beyond ideas that lacked solid evidence.
According to the study, the acids released from the skin act like a potent perfume for mosquitoes. These chemicals are part of a group of molecules each person emits in a unique mix, forming a personal chemical signature that can influence how often someone is bitten.
“There is a very strong link between high amounts of these fatty acids on the skin and attracting mosquitoes”, said Professor Vosshall.
64 Volunteers Wore Socks to Explore Odor Clues
Over three years, researchers conducted a long series of tests. They recruited 64 volunteers who wore nylon stockings on their forearms so the molecules from their skin could be captured. Each volunteer faced 2,300 pairwise scent tests, allowing mosquitoes to choose which sock to follow based on scent cues.
In this setup, Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, known to spread diseases such as Zika, dengue, yellow fever, and chikungunya, were observed as they moved through tubes toward a chosen medium. The standout volunteer, dubbed Subject 33, received four times as many mosquito visits as the next most attractive participant, and at least 100 times more than the least attractive.
To keep the research unbiased, samples were anonymized so experimenters could not identify which stocking belonged to which volunteer. Yet Subject 33 consistently drew immediate attention from the bugs, a pattern that emerged quickly as testing began, notes de Obaldia.
Following these results, the team analyzed the participants further to determine what set Subject 33 apart. Advanced chemical analysis revealed 50 distinct molecular compounds present on the volunteers’ skin. The most attractive participants produced notably higher levels of carboxylic acids than others, tying back to the mosquitoes’ strong response.
The carboxylic acids are part of a body odor that bacteria on the skin help generate. This odor is highly personal, effectively serving as a scent fingerprint for each person.
From these insights, the researchers see a path toward practical products. Mosquito repellents could be designed to reduce the skin levels of these acids or alter the skin bacteria that produce an individual’s odor. Such approaches could make bites less likely for people who are naturally more attractive to mosquitoes.
Though the experiments focused on the same mosquito species, the team believes similar behavior would be observed with other vectors as well, suggesting broad implications for bite prevention across many regions.
Notes on the study: the work highlights a concrete link between skin chemistry and mosquito behavior, offering a tangible target for protection strategies rather than relying on guesswork or broad, ineffective measures.
Additional references come from the researchers’ formal publication and related reviews in the field of vector biology.
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