How Do Mosquitoes Taste Different Blood Types?
WouterUntil now, scientists believed that mosquitoes could not taste blood. However, new research has shown that they can indeed taste blood. Identifying the neurons that respond to blood may be used to prevent mosquito bites. These findings have far-reaching implications for basic science and may also offer a solution to mosquito disease problems.
Mosquitoes use their sense of taste to select their hosts. The mosquito brain reacts to blood taste in strange ways. However, scientists still are not sure how mosquitoes taste blood.
Mosquitoes prefer people with type O blood. This is because Type O is a type of antigen that they can detect in the body. They are also attracted to people with high lactic acid levels. This is because lactic acid is secreted through the skin when the body is active.
Some people have only Type A or B antigens. However, these people may naturally repel mosquitoes. Alternatively, mosquitoes may have a chemical signal that tells them to avoid humans.
Blood type antigens are found in blood, saliva, and tears. They can also be smelled by mosquitoes. While some people have only Type A or B antigens, others may have both.
A new study has shown that mosquitoes may prefer humans with blood types A and O. This means that some people always get bitten no matter what. Interestingly, female mosquitoes also prefer humans with type O blood.
Researchers have also discovered that blood type affects how mosquitoes behave. When females feed on blood, they tend to die sooner than females fed on nectar. This may be because of the nutrients they need to produce eggs. However, further studies are needed to determine why they prefer humans with type A or O blood.
