The smell that makes you a feast for mozzies
SOME people are magnets for mosquito bites because of their body odour, research suggests.
Scientists have found that our genes determine how attractive we smell to the insects.
The study builds on previous work linking body odour to the chance of mosquito attacks.
Some individuals who avoided being bitten were shown to produce a natural insect repellent that kept them safe. The new study found that identical twins were more similar in their attractiveness to mosquitoes than non- identical twins. Since identical twins share the same genes, this was evidence that the mosquito effect was genetically driven.
Lead scientist Dr James Logan, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: “By investigating the genetic mechanism behind attractiveness to biting insects such as mosquitoes, we can move closer to using this knowledge for better ways of keeping us safe from bites and the diseases insects can spread through bites. If we understand the genetic basis for variation between individuals it could be possible to develop bespoke ways to control mosquitoes better and develop new ways to repel them.
“We may even be able to take a pill which will enhance the production of natural repellents by the body.”
The study also found that pregnant women are more attractive to the malaria mosquito.
And fatter people also seem to be more appealing to the insects and midges.
The findings are published in the online journal Public Library of Science ONE.