Mosquitoes prefer to eat blood with certain genes
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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With the onset of the summer season, almost all people are beginning to worry about various insects, including mosquitoes, which bites not only cause an unpleasant itch, but also contribute to the spread of infectious diseases.
It has long been noticed that some people bite mosquitoes more often and experts are interested in this feature. As recent studies in this field have shown, mosquitoes are attracted by human genes, which in particular determine the body odor.
In the UK, a team of scientists to find out why some people are attracted to mosquitoes conducted an experiment in which 74 people (pairs of fraternal and identical twins) took part.
The scientists asked each of the twins to place their hand in a special tube with two holes, through which the smell of the human body spread. As a result, after specialists released mosquitoes, they showed a different interest in fraternal twins. In identical twins, genetic information is almost identical, and mosquitoes were distributed approximately equally throughout the tube.
Experts concluded that it is the genes for mosquitoes that are the main factor in choosing a victim.
Now scientists plan to conduct a more extensive study, in the process of which scientists hope to establish which genes are responsible for body odor and are able to attract or repel mosquitoes.
Lead researcher Professor James Logan noted that this discovery will help in developing more effective means for fighting mosquitoes.
Professor David Whitman, who works at the School of Tropical Medicine (Liverpool), who did not take part in the work, noted that this discovery can be safely called progressive. According to him, the value of genes was first shown, but, as is known, mosquitoes attract not only the body odor, but also other moments, for example, the amount of exhaled carbon dioxide, alcohol consumption, etc.
Professor Whitman also stressed that the work of his colleagues will help develop new drugs and methods for repelling insects, which is very important for places where mosquitoes are carriers of fatal infections.
Earlier it was noticed that mosquitoes are attracted by people who consumed alcohol. In this case, even a glass of beer significantly increases the interest of insects. The researchers note that this is due to the fact that ethanol begins to be released from a person later, and the body temperature rises.
Also earlier, researchers noted that mosquitoes feel a group of human blood and prefer the first group, in the second place for "attractiveness" for bloodsuckers is the third group.
The amount of exhaled air also affects the reaction of mosquitoes, insects are able to catch carbon dioxide at a distance of up to 50 m. They attract those who breathe more air at a time (people of large physique). In addition to carbon dioxide, mosquitoes react to the smell of other substances that release human sweat glands (ammonia, uric acid, etc.).
In one study, it was found that mosquitoes like black, blue and red more, so people in the clothes of such flowers bite more.
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