Table of contents:
- What makes a person more susceptible to being bitten by mosquitoes?
- 1. Larger body size
- 2. Are pregnant
- 3. High cholesterol
- 4. Uric acid
- 5. Blood type O
- 6. You are new to sports
- 7. You may be more sensitive to mosquito bites
Being bitten by a mosquito when you are just relaxing outside or taking a walk is certainly a little annoying. But when you look around, it turns out that you are the only one who is busy scratching the bumps while other people are calm. Have you ever wondered why mosquitoes sometimes only target certain people?
What makes a person more susceptible to being bitten by mosquitoes?
In fact, there are people who are more attractive to be used as food for mosquitoes. This is mainly related to the blood components and aroma that a person's body emits.
Even so, one of the main reasons why someone is more susceptible to being bitten by mosquitoes is 85% due to genetic factors. Other factors include physical activity, sweating, personal hygiene, and even pregnancy, all of which can affect how susceptible you are to being bitten by mosquitoes.
1. Larger body size
One of the things that makes you susceptible to being bitten by mosquitoes is how much carbon dioxide you produce from breathing. Carbon dioxide is one of the components that attracts mosquitoes.
This also explains why mosquitoes prefer to bite adults or larger people (both in weight and height) because automatically, larger people will produce more carbon dioxide.
Mosquitoes can smell the carbon dioxide we produce from a distance of 50 meters away through a special organ called maxillary palp.
2. Are pregnant
One of the causes is still related to the level of carbon dioxide produced. Pregnant women emit more carbon dioxide than normal people in general.
In addition, the body temperature of pregnant women is usually slightly higher than that of ordinary people. This invites mosquitoes to approach pregnant women.
3. High cholesterol
Not that mosquitoes will only bite those who have high cholesterol levels in the blood. You may be the type of person who is more efficient at processing cholesterol, so that this byproduct of cholesterol metabolism remains on the surface of your skin.
This is what invites mosquitoes to land. Not only cholesterol, those with high levels of steroids on the surface of the skin are also more attractive to mosquitoes.
4. Uric acid
As quoted from WebMD, John Edman, PhD, an entomologist or entomologist from the Entomological Society of America, states that those who produce certain acid components such as uric acid are susceptible to mosquito bites. This is because these substances can trigger the mosquito's sense of smell, thus luring mosquitoes to come.
5. Blood type O
A study published by Journal of Medical Entomology in 2004 stated that mosquitoes landed more frequently on those with blood type O. This possibility was twice as high when compared to those with blood type A. Meanwhile, blood type B in this study was in the middle.
There is no scientific explanation why blood type O is more attractive to mosquitoes. But it turns out that in some people, our blood type can be "read" by mosquitoes because of the chemicals in our skin.
6. You are new to sports
Believe it or not, exercising also makes you very attractive to mosquitoes. This is caused by two things. After exercising, you tend to produce more carbon dioxide because usually a person will breathe more often and faster.
Apart from carbon dioxide, another component in your sweat that is produced by the sweat glands, namely lactic acid, also attracts mosquitoes.
7. You may be more sensitive to mosquito bites
One of the reasons why you are only busy with mosquito bites yourself is because your skin is more sensitive, so maybe other people are also bitten by mosquitoes, but your reaction to mosquito bites is greater when compared to those who do not have sensitive skin.
When someone who has sensitive skin is bitten by a mosquito, the bite can trigger inflammation in the area being bitten. The reaction can be more severe, such as a bigger swelling or bump, or an unbearable itching sensation.
So even though your friend may also have been bitten by a mosquito, if you have sensitive skin, you will notice a mosquito bite more quickly, leading you to conclude that mosquitoes are only targeting you.
