WHY DO YOU HAVE MORE MOSQUITO BITES THAN OTHERS?

Up to 20 per cent of us are highly attractive to mosquitoes and consistently get bitten more often than the other lucky 80 per cent. While genetics are thought to count for up to 85 per cent of our susceptibility, scientists have a number of ideas as to why some of us are more prone to being ravaged by mosquitoes…

 

Clothing colour

Mosquitoes are attracted to dark colours such as black and navy blue, as they use vision along with scent to locate their targets. It is best to dress in light colours such as white or pastels to reduce the risk of this.

Blood type

Research suggests that certain blood types are more attractive to mosquitoes than others. A large number of the population, depending on their blood type, secretes saccharides or sugars through the skin that mosquitoes are able to sense.

Studies as early as 1972 suggest that mosquitoes seem to prefer those with Type O blood.
Indeed, mosquitoes land on skin with Type O blood nearly twice as often as those with Type A. People with Type B blood fall somewhere in between this range.

Carbon dioxide

Mosquitoes are attracted to exhaled carbon dioxide via receptors in an organ known as the maxillary pulp and can detect their prey from up to 50 meters away. Consequently, those that exhale more gas i.e. often larger people with increased body habits, are more likely to get bitten.

Metabolism

Aside from carbon dioxide, mosquitoes also rely on other substances, often at close range, to home in on their targets. These include chemical and compounds secreted in skin and sweat, including lactic acid, uric acid, ammonia, steroids, and cholesterol to name a few.

Strenuous exercise can result in a build-up of lactic acid which may make individuals more susceptible. Genetic factors are likely be involved in the composition of these substances that are naturally secreted by our bodies.

Bacteria

Large numbers of bacterial species naturally inhabit human skin. Researchers have shown that certain bacterial subtypes present in large numbers e.g. Staphylococcus epidermis, make individuals more attractive to mosquitoes.

Meanwhile others e.g. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, appear to have the opposite effect. It also seems that having a wide diversity of bacterial types living on the skin make it less attractive.

Pregnancy

Pregnant women are more susceptible to bites than their non-pregnant counterparts. This is, however, likely to be due to the fact that they exhale relatively more carbon dioxide and have a higher resting body temperature.


Copyright IDOKOJOHN.BLOGSPOT.COM.NG
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from IDOKOJOHN.BLOGSPOT.COM.NG