Alcohol and mosquitoes
Posted: Thu Jul 18, 2013 8:20 am
Mosquitoes attracted to beer drinkers. Researchers say
Insects are 15 per cent more likely to approach people who have downed a pint, possibly due to “reduced host defensive behaviors or highly nutritious blood-meals,” a new study finds.
A small study concludes that mosquitoes are drawn to beer drinks, possibly because “the metabolism of alcohol following beer consumption induces changes in breath and odor markers” that increase attraction to mosquitoes.
Turns out mosquitoes, just like the rest of us, enjoy nothing better than a pint on a hot summer day.
A study from the IRD Research Centre in France, and published in online journal PLoS One, found the insects are 15 per cent more likely to approach people who have downed a pint.
The researchers gave 25 men in Burkina Faso a common local brew called dolo, then released mosquitoes nearby.
Before the volunteers raised a pint, only 50 per cent of mosquitoes veered toward the patio crew. After consumption, that number rose to 65 per cent.
“Beer consumption consistently increased attractiveness to mosquitoes,” conclude the researchers.
When tried with water instead of hops and barley, the insects were six per cent less likely to fly toward the men.
“Water consumption did not affect these mosquito behavioral responses, demonstrating that beer was solely responsible for increased human attractiveness,” they write.
Previous research has found that heat, moisture and olfactory cues help attract mosquitoes — and these can be influenced by diet, general health and even pregnancy.
As for why the mosquitoes gravitated toward the beer drinkers, researchers were able to rule out increased carbon dioxide emission or body temperature, leading them to conclude the reasons are “currently unclear.” However, they “postulate that the metabolism of alcohol following beer consumption induces changes in breath and odor markers” that increase their attraction to mosquitoes.
Additionally, they say that mosquitoes might have evolved to have a preference for recent beer drinkers, “possibly due to reduced host defensive behaviors or highly nutritious blood-meals.” Meaning that after a few pints, you’re less likely to effectively swat them away, or even notice the bites until your buzz subsides.
More research is needed to discover whether other ingredients in beer, apart from alcohol, could be attracting the insects and whether other alcoholic beverages also increase the likelihood of bites.
The researchers hope the findings can help decrease the number of cases of malaria as they strive to understand the links between alcohol consumption and mosquito bites in West Africa.
Insects are 15 per cent more likely to approach people who have downed a pint, possibly due to “reduced host defensive behaviors or highly nutritious blood-meals,” a new study finds.
A small study concludes that mosquitoes are drawn to beer drinks, possibly because “the metabolism of alcohol following beer consumption induces changes in breath and odor markers” that increase attraction to mosquitoes.
Turns out mosquitoes, just like the rest of us, enjoy nothing better than a pint on a hot summer day.
A study from the IRD Research Centre in France, and published in online journal PLoS One, found the insects are 15 per cent more likely to approach people who have downed a pint.
The researchers gave 25 men in Burkina Faso a common local brew called dolo, then released mosquitoes nearby.
Before the volunteers raised a pint, only 50 per cent of mosquitoes veered toward the patio crew. After consumption, that number rose to 65 per cent.
“Beer consumption consistently increased attractiveness to mosquitoes,” conclude the researchers.
When tried with water instead of hops and barley, the insects were six per cent less likely to fly toward the men.
“Water consumption did not affect these mosquito behavioral responses, demonstrating that beer was solely responsible for increased human attractiveness,” they write.
Previous research has found that heat, moisture and olfactory cues help attract mosquitoes — and these can be influenced by diet, general health and even pregnancy.
As for why the mosquitoes gravitated toward the beer drinkers, researchers were able to rule out increased carbon dioxide emission or body temperature, leading them to conclude the reasons are “currently unclear.” However, they “postulate that the metabolism of alcohol following beer consumption induces changes in breath and odor markers” that increase their attraction to mosquitoes.
Additionally, they say that mosquitoes might have evolved to have a preference for recent beer drinkers, “possibly due to reduced host defensive behaviors or highly nutritious blood-meals.” Meaning that after a few pints, you’re less likely to effectively swat them away, or even notice the bites until your buzz subsides.
More research is needed to discover whether other ingredients in beer, apart from alcohol, could be attracting the insects and whether other alcoholic beverages also increase the likelihood of bites.
The researchers hope the findings can help decrease the number of cases of malaria as they strive to understand the links between alcohol consumption and mosquito bites in West Africa.
