Some people get bitten by mosquitoes more than others due to a combination of genetic, biological, and environmental factors. Key reasons include differences in body odor, genetic markers, blood type, the amount of carbon dioxide a person exhales, skin bacteria, body heat, and even factors like alcohol consumption or exercise that increase body temperature or metabolic rate.
Genetic Factors and Body Odor
Research shows that mosquito bite frequency is partly genetic, with hundreds of genetic markers influencing how attractive a person is to mosquitoes. Body odor, which is shaped by the compounds emitted from sweat and the microbiota on the skin, plays a major role. People with higher levels of certain acids like carboxylic acids on their skin tend to attract more mosquitoes. Each person has a unique scent profile that can influence mosquito attraction, and this tends to remain consistent over time.
Blood Type and Carbon Dioxide Emission
Mosquitoes prefer individuals with type O blood over other blood types, landing on them nearly twice as often compared to type A, with type B somewhere in the middle. Additionally, mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide, which humans naturally exhale. People who emit more carbon dioxide, such as those who are larger, pregnant, or exercising, are more prone to mosquito bites.
Skin Bacteria and Temperature
The types and amount of bacteria living on the skin affect attractiveness to mosquitoes; having more of certain bacteria species or less bacterial diversity can increase bites. Mosquitoes are also drawn to people with higher body temperatures or those who sweat more, as sweat contains chemicals like lactic acid that attract the insects.
Additional Factors
Alcohol consumption can increase blood flow near the skin surface, making a person more attractive to mosquitoes. Clothing color also matters, with mosquitoes tending to prefer dark colors like black, red, and orange. Behavioral factors like breathing heavily or sweating due to activity can also increase mosquito attraction.
In summary, mosquito attraction depends on a complex interplay of genetic predisposition, body chemistry, blood type, and environmental factors that make some people more appealing mosquito targets than others.
