Why mosquitoes bite some people more often: scientists find the answer

Scientists are making significant strides in deciphering the intricate chemical cocktail that makes some individuals more appealing targets for mosquitoes. This research is crucial, given the role these insects play in spreading serious diseases.

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It's not a misconception – mosquitoes are indeed more attracted to some people than others.

"It's not a misconception – mosquitoes are indeed more attracted to some people than others," stated Frederic Simard from the French Research Institute for Development. Medical entomologist Rickard Ignell explained that mosquitoes, particularly females who are the ones that bite, use a combination of sensory cues. These include smell, body heat, and exhaled carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide acts as an initial long-range signal, detected from dozens of meters away.

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But we are not all magnets all the time.

As mosquitoes approach within about 10 meters, they begin to detect body odor. This scent, combined with carbon dioxide, intensifies their attraction. Proximity further enhances this, with body temperature and humidity making certain individuals even more desirable. Ignell noted that mosquitoes are "fascinating creatures" and that their attraction is based on a complex blend of scent compounds.

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We know for over 100 years that mosquitoes are attracted to the carbon dioxide we exhale – this is the first signal that triggers their behavior.

Contrary to common myths, research has debunked the idea that mosquitoes prefer specific blood types or skin colors. "There is no scientific basis for the idea that mosquitoes prefer certain blood types," Simard asserted, noting that previous studies were too small. Instead, the primary attractant is body odor, which is influenced by the "soup of molecules produced by our microbiota." While humans emit hundreds of different odor compounds, scientists are still identifying which ones are most attractive. A recent study identified 27 specific compounds that mosquitoes detect, with one particular molecule, 1-octen-3-ol, found to significantly increase attractiveness even in small amounts. Interestingly, women in their second trimester of pregnancy were found to produce higher levels of this compound.

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In a radius of about 10 meters, mosquitoes will begin to detect our smell and, in combination with carbon dioxide, this attracts them even more.