Discerning Mosquitoes prefer type O blood "Tastier then others"

[rock hunter]

MOSQUITO MAGNETS: WHY MOSQUITOES FIND SOME PEOPLE TASTIER THAN OTHERS

Does it seem like mosquitoes are always out to get you? Or are you one of the lucky ones who never seems to get bit while others seems to be eaten alive?

It is not your imagination. As it turns out there are just some people who get bit more than others, while others seem to have a natural repellent of their own.

On a hot summer morning, after a night of heavy downpours, Lupe Olivares wasn't worried much about bug spray as he entered the Houston Zoo for a day at the park with his family.

"I don't know, I guess I'm not sweet enough or something," Olivares said. Though he wasn't sure why, Olivares said he just does not get bit. As it turns out, Olivares might be right.

"We know that about 10 to 20 percent of people are bit more often than others and it's linked to a number of things," said Catherine Troisi, Ph.D. with UTHealth Public School of Health.

Troisi is an infectious disease epidemiologist and specializes in the spread and outbreak of diseases. According to Troisi, about 85 percent of why people either do or do not get bit has to do with genetics, starting first with build and weight.

People with more body mass breathe harder, in turn giving off more carbon dioxide --which is a gas mosquitoes are attracted to.

"The more work you're doing, the heavier your breathing, so more carbon dioxide is coming out," Troisi said. "If you're a heavier person, you're working harder because you're carrying around more mass."

Troisi said that is why pregnant women tend to get bit more. Other genetic factors include blood type.

"There is some evidence that people with type O blood are bitten more often than people with other blood types," Troisi said.

Researchers aren't sure of just why, though there is something in type O blood that is not a component in other blood types.

Among others things that have been reported to attract mosquitoes, Troisi said anything that increases your body heat. That includes exercise and even drinking a beer, which raises body temperature.

Chemicals on the skin unique to the person, like their sweat, can attract the skeeters. Bacteria also plays a role. Most people have more bacteria near their ankles and feet, where many tend to notice mosquito bites.

Even a person's wardrobe might be attracting the buggers.

"They not only use smell, they use sight to find their targets and so if you're wearing something that stands out, say red or black or something that's in sharp contrast with the environment, then they are more likely to find you," Troisi said.

So, what does not attract mosquitoes? Troisi said that while anecdotally sweet-smelling body lotions and perfumes bring on the bites, it has never been proven to attract mosquitoes. As for sugary foods, Troisi said that will not make you any more tasty to the insects either.

As for those people who seem not to get bit, Troisi said, "Some people have natural insect repellents --repellents that they exude."

Research is being done to figure out more about those people and their body chemistry.

No matter if you are the biting type or not, there are a few things you can do to prevent mosquito bites:
-Drain standing water around your home where mosquitoes can breed
-Dress in long sleeves and pants at night
-Defend yourself with repellents with DEET or an all-natural solution like Lemon Eucalyptus Oil, proven to ward off buggers

National Mosquito Control Awareness week is June 26 through July 2.

http://abc7.com/health/why-mosquitoes-find-certain-people-irresistible/1412786/

[geebee]

I'm O and overweight ... but I've never noticed getting bitten more than most. Must be something else about me that's repellent. Er, I mean, that mosquitoes don't like.

[leonardo]

I am O and all insects are drawn to me like a magnet. The deer flies are really fierce this summer. As for O blood, it is the most prevalent. So, maybe it simply sheer numbers weighing in to the equation?

[rock hunter]

There is not that big of a difference between A and O, something like 5%, that it could not be adjusted for and its a 10 to 20% spread as well a vs o. One must assume they are ones trained in the art of statistics and know what they are doing. That being said, I am A and mosquitoes tend to avoid me if there are other people around but Colorado and Maine deer flies find me downright succulente.

[Lirio100]

I have O type; mosquitoes certainly like me, but gnats and biting flies aren't far behind.

[Abd.H]

I am O , and mosquitoes like me indescribably .

[Táltos]

I'm O, and some nights they leave me alone. Other nights get the bug spray! So for me it's hit or miss.

[Saetro]

Some friends have reported that taking Thiamine (Vitamin B1) supplement helped reduce mosquito attack.
Not universally effective.

Have not heard of using "Lemon Eucalyptus Oil" and I'm from the land of its origins, and my great grandmother swore by it for other uses, but not this one.

The big mystery here is whether remedies apply to all of the different shapes and sizes we get.
Early in the season there are giant mosquitoes. Then smaller, buzzy ones that wake you up in the middle of the night, but something in the sound makes it hard to work out where it is coming from. Later still come the small, silent ones that leave big welts. But at least you know the season is nearing its end.
It used to be traditional here to have a bedstead that was high at the head end, so that a mosquito net could be hung from there.
(Anyone else have those, maybe in Southern States?)
Repellents, window screens and fashion have made them obsolete.

[Amerijoe]

Rock hunter, you may right about type O. My wife is O and an extremely powerful mosquito magnet. I've joked with her for years that the only reason we're together because she keeps the mosquitos away from me. I'm AB and rarely get bitten and living in Florida to boot. :hungry:

[Little bit]

I'm type O and apparently delicious to mosquitoes whereas my A type husband seems to be less so. We react very differently to mosquito bites as well: I get insanely itchy, big red welts, and sometimes even have other allergic responses such as sneezing or minor asthma type symptoms. My husband seems not to react at all with no visual evidence of being bitten. I wonder if type O's are more reactive to mosquito bites making it seem like we get bitten more because we remember it more?

[Menchaca]

I'm AB+ and rarely get bitten, although when I was a child I was a mosquitoe magnet. My father also is a mosquitoe repellent, he is either A or B blood.

[AnnieD]

O+ & definitely more attractive to mosquitoes than opposite sex. 😈

[Khamsin]

I am type O and Mosquitoes loved me when I lived in the tropics. My sister has type B- and the mosquitos left her alone.

[geebee]

Researchers aren't sure of just why, though there is something in type O blood that is not a component in other blood types.

I know this is an old thread, but the statement I've put in bold is backwards. There is nothing in type O blood that is not a component of other blood types. In fact it's the reverse -- there is a component of A, B, and AB blood that is not a component of type O.

Have you ever wondered why the system isn't called ABC, but rather is ABO? It's because Karl Landsteiner -- the man who discovered and named the ABO blood group system at the beginning of the 20th century -- indentified only two factors, which he designated as A and B. "O" was not a third factor, but represented a blood type that lacked either of the other two factors. He called it "O" because that's the first letter of the German word "ohne", which means "without". So type O is type O for one simple reason: it is without specific components found in either A or B blood.

Those components are A antigen, which you have if your blood type is A; and B antigen, which you have if your blood type is B. Or both A and B antigen if your blood type is AB.

These components are produced by the conversion of H antigen -- which everyone has unless they have two copies of a certain mutation to a gene on chromosome 1 (the so-called "Bombay phenotype") -- into either A or B antigen, depending on your ABO blood type. But, not all of the H antigen is necessarily converted, so people with A, B, or AB may still have some H antigen. People with type O blood, of course, will only have H antigen.

So those little blood suckers may not so much be drawn to type O blood as repelled by A, B, or AB. :beerchug:

[rms2]

Mosquitoes really like my A- blood, I can tell you that. If they're out and about, they always nail me.

On the other hand, fleas don't like me much.

[chelle]

I am O+ and they love me!

[Mandoos]

I know this is an old thread, but the statement I've put in bold is backwards. There is nothing in type O blood that is not a component of other blood types. In fact it's the reverse -- there is a component of A, B, and AB blood that is not a component of type O.

Have you ever wondered why the system isn't called ABC, but rather is ABO? It's because Karl Landsteiner -- the man who discovered and named the ABO blood group system at the beginning of the 20th century -- indentified only two factors, which he designated as A and B. "O" was not a third factor, but represented a blood type that lacked either of the other two factors. He called it "O" because that's the first letter of the German word "ohne", which means "without". So type O is type O for one simple reason: it is without specific components found in either A or B blood.

Those components are A antigen, which you have if your blood type is A; and B antigen, which you have if your blood type is B. Or both A and B antigen if your blood type is AB.

These components are produced by the conversion of H antigen -- which everyone has unless they have two copies of a certain mutation to a gene on chromosome 1 (the so-called "Bombay phenotype") -- into either A or B antigen, depending on your ABO blood type. But, not all of the H antigen is necessarily converted, so people with A, B, or AB may still have some H antigen. People with type O blood, of course, will only have H antigen.

So those little blood suckers may not so much be drawn to type O blood as repelled by A, B, or AB. :beerchug:

This makes more sense as many Africans and Asians are type O - one would think the populations which evolved sickle cell anemia wouldn't have type O blood simply going off the idea that mosquitos love O :P

[pmokeefe]

I'm AB+ and rarely get bitten, although when I was a child I was a mosquitoe magnet. My father also is a mosquitoe repellent, he is either A or B blood.
I am also AB+, in a group of people I'm usually the least bitten. However, when I'm by myself I get plenty of bites.

Landing preference of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) on human skin among ABO blood groups, secretors or nonsecretors, and ABH antigens. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15311477)

We demonstrated in this study that blood group O subjects attracted more Aedes albopictus than other blood groups (B, AB, and A) but were only significantly more attractive than blood group A subjects in 64 human landing tests.

[Ruderico]

Missus is O-, I'm A+. She's an excellent mosquito shield for me, I rarely get biten when she's around

[Elizabeth]

When I lived in NY and NC I was always getting mosquito bites. Big red itchy round welts. I've been told I get bit so much because I'm so sweet.

Thankfully I live in Florida in an area that sprays for mosquitoes.

I saw a small mosquito yesterday on the outside of my front door and killed it.

Other than that I haven't seen mosquitoes in years.

I'm type O+.

My mom is type A+ and has never been bitten.

[geebee]

I am also AB+, in a group of people I'm usually the least bitten. However, when I'm by myself I get plenty of bites.

Landing preference of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) on human skin among ABO blood groups, secretors or nonsecretors, and ABH antigens. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15311477)

We demonstrated in this study that blood group O subjects attracted more Aedes albopictus than other blood groups (B, AB, and A) but were only significantly more attractive than blood group A subjects in 64 human landing tests.

I wonder if the study authors found any difference between AB and A or B? AB is the only group that you can tell without testing is homozygous for a non-O allele. Some portion of those with A will have two A alleles, but some will have an A allele and an O allele. While O has no real effect on blood type (it's simply the blood type of those whose H antigen isn't converted into anything else), having two non-O alleles does increase the proportion of H which is converted.

So as I've suggested, mosquitoes apparently think non-O blood is yucky. It would be interesting to see if they really prefer "pure H" (why does that sound like I'm talking about something else?), of it they'd find people with no H antigen tastiest of all?

Unfortunately, Bombay phenotype folks are probably too few to do any testing on, or to hide behind at need.

[Baltimore1937]

Since I moved out here to WA, I haven't hardly seen a mosquito. But when I was in Florida, birdwatching in the Everglades, my hankerchief was soaked in my blood after fighting off mosquitos on one occasion. Also salt marsh mosquitos are horrible in their zillions. Then there were the "no see ums" that went right through normal screens.