Florida International University study links skin microbiome to mosquito attraction

Researchers at Florida International University (FIU) led by neurogeneticist Matthew DeJenero conducted a study in Miami with 119 volunteers to examine why some people attract more mosquito bites. Participants placed a hand in an olfactometer while three mosquito species—Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus—were released at the opposite end.

The experiment showed that attraction varies by species and by individual skin chemistry. Aedes aegypti displayed a slight preference for male volunteers, whereas the other two species showed no gender bias. Analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from the skin and the volunteers' skin microbiomes identified distinct chemical signatures that made certain individuals more appealing to specific mosquito types. The study highlights how skin‑derived odors and bacterial communities influence mosquito host selection, a factor relevant to diseases such as malaria, dengue, Zika and West Nile virus.