Have
you ever had a vacation spoiled by that itchy feeling?
I
mean the one you get after you have been bitten by a mosquito.
One
itchy bite is not too much of an issue. But if you have more than
one, then it can quickly become very annoying.
It
gets even more frustrating when you find that those around you are
not itching nearly as much because they have only been bitten once or
twice.
What
makes you so much more attractive to mosquitos?
Could
it be that your blood just tastes that much better to mosquitos? What
type of blood do mosquitos like?
Do
mosquitos have a favorite blood type?
Mosquito
bites are not just annoying and, they also spread deadly diseases
like Malaria, Zika, and Dengue Fever.
For
this reason, scientists have investigated several factors that
attract mosquitos to bite people. One of these
factors was found to be blood type.
Each
blood type in humans has a distinct set of specific proteins, called
antigens. It is the protein from our blood that the female mosquitos
need to successfully give birth to their offspring.
There
are four different blood types:
Blood
type A: only A antigen on the surface of red blood cells
Blood
type B: only B antigen on the surface of red blood cells
Blood
type AB: both A and B antigens on the surface of red blood cells
Blood
type O: no A or B antigen on the surface of red blood cells
Many
people also secrete these antigens through their saliva or tears.
Scientists refer to those people as secretors. If you have blood type
A, you are a type
A secretor, while those with blood type O
secrete H antigen which is a precursor to A and B antigens.
What
blood type do mosquitos prefer?
It
has been found that mosquitos are more attracted to people with blood
type O. This is based on a 1974 study of 102 human participants.
Which found those with O type blood were bitten more than people with
other blood types.
A
more recent 2019 study placed different blood types into separate
feeders. It was observed that mosquitos preferred to feed on the type
O feeder much more than the feeders with other blood types.
A
2004 study examined mosquito preference for blood type between type O
and A. When blood type antigens were applied to the arms of study
participants, it was found that significantly more mosquitos were
attracted to people to the H antigen, that is, blood type O.
The
conclusion is that mosquitos may be able to sense the antigens
secreted through tears and saliva as they approach a person.
However,
there are other known factors
that will attract mosquitos:
What
else attracts Mosquitos?
Clothing
– mosquitos prefer dark colors like green, black and red. Instead
wear, softer colors like pastels, beige, or white.
Carbon
Dioxide – we emit this when we breathe out, something you can’t
avoid doing. Mosquitos can sense carbon dioxide from a significant
distance. The more you exhale the more attractive you become. Larger
people exhale more.
You
could hold your breath around mosquitos, but that will only help for
a minute or two. If you are overweight, losing weight might lead to
fewer mosquito bites.
Heat
and Sweat - mosquitoes have a nose for other scents too. They can
sniff out lactic acid, ammonia, and other compounds found in our
sweat. Strenuous exercise increases the buildup of lactic acid and
heat in your body and will have you breathing more heavily too.
“Lively”
Skin - your skin is naturally teeming with microscopic life. The
combination of bacteria and sweat creates a distinct fragrance that
attracts mosquitos. Bathing regularly may help.
Pregnancy
- -an African study in 2000 found those who were pregnant attracted
twice as many mosquitos compared to those who were not pregnant. This
could be because of carbon dioxide and heat, those in late pregnancy
exhale 21% more volume of breath and their abdomens are about one
degree warmer.
Beer
- one study found significantly more mosquitoes flew toward the
participants who had drunk one liter of beer than those who had drunk
a liter of water. Why is still unclear. But if you’re near
mosquitos and intend to drink beer, take precautions.
Summary
When
mosquitos are nearby, they want your blood. If you have blood type O,
they may be more attracted to you than to others. You should always
take precautions by covering up and spraying insect repellant over
yourself.
You
can also try wearing softer colored clothing, don’t exercise, keep
cool to prevent sweat and heat, keep yourself clean to limit your
bacteria, and avoid beer and pregnancy!
