Factors Determining Human Attractiveness to Mosquitoes: A Review

Abstract

Humans are detected by blood-feeding mosquitoes when producing and releasing certain chemical signals, such as lactic acid and carbon dioxide. These compounds help the above-mentioned insects to differentiate humans from other animals by using olfactory receptors located in their antennal olfactory receptor neurons. However, the frequency of mosquito bites varies from person to person due to differences in the composition and quantity of released attractants, which makes certain individuals more prone to infections, transmitted by these vectors. Such infections include malaria, yellow fever disease, West Nile fever, Zika syndrome, among many others. Therefore, it is of high importance to determine which factors affect the releasing of attractants and therefore play a role in the frequency of mosquito bites.