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If you’re like me, you are plagued by large welts all over exposed limbs every summer from mosquito bites. If you’re also like me, your family members can be in the same place at the same time and escape without a single bite.
Why? A lot of theories have evolved as to why these tiny predators (yes! To me they ARE predators!) are attracted to some and not to others. Some research points to our blood type, while other studies suggest the type of foods we eat are to blame, prompting some of us to experiment with these factors.
Hormonal factors play a part, with pregnant and menstruating women more attractive to the insects. Now new research suggests it is mostly our good old DNA that determines how attractive we are to the ever-present mosquito predator!
In this recent study 37 sets of twins were tested, about half identical and half fraternal. Identical twins are an excellent way to study DNA effects because they share the same DNA, while fraternal twins share only half.
In the experiment, mosquitos were released into vacuum tubes with either of the twins’ hand in it available for scent. The odor of each hand either attracted or repelled the mosquitos. Each set of twins underwent the experiment no less than 40 times. We know a person’s odor to be a factor, but these results were striking.
The mosquitos preferred the hands of both identical twins twice as much as they preferred both the hands of fraternal sets. This basically mirrors the shared DNA of the sets. From the results they calculated that between 63% and 83% of our attractiveness to mosquitos is determined by our DNA. A great reference for this is our height determination – our height is believed to be about 80% determined by our DNA.
What does this mean for the future of our summer BBQ’s? Knowing that DNA plays such a strong factor brings us a step closer to blocking whatever the scent is that attracts the mosquitos. Scientists think it will be possible to develop a pill we can take before exposure to prevent being attractive to the mosquitos.
We could one day trick mosquitos into believing we are that lucky person who never gets bitten! This would minimize our need for repellants both chemical and natural. Let us not forget that mosquitos can prove deadly and not just annoying, such as in areas where malaria and dengue fever are prevalent; as well as west nile virus epidemics in the West. Studies like this bring us one step closer to eradicating these diseases as well as making summer easier on our skin!
http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/do-these-genes-make-me-look-tasty-mosquitoes-n346431
