Mosquito Bites More Common In Pregnant Women, Alcoholics, and Physically Active People

Mosquitoes will bite you more frequently if you are pregnant, an athlete or into drinking copious amounts of alcohol. People with Type O blood are more appealing for those pesky mosquitoes as well.

Dr. Jon Steadman of the Medical Center of McKinney said alcohol attracts mosquitoes by increasing a person's body temperature and the ethanol excreted through sweat. A single 12-ounce of beer, for instance, is enough to do this change to the body, according to a study published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information, or NCBI.

Pregnant women, meanwhile, exhale more carbon dioxide that entices the insects as well, CBS Local reported from a recent study conducted by a researcher team from Durham University in the United Kingdom. Expecting mothers also have abdomens that are around 0.7 degrees Celsius warmer than the normal person. With this, their skin emits more volatile compounds like lactic acid that can attract mosquitoes, according to Inquirer.net.

Dr. Steve Lindsay, one of the study's authors, said pregnant women should use insect repellent that contains elements like DEET, picaridin and lemon eucalyptus. Expectant mothers should also stay in air-conditioned areas, dispose or avoid standing water, and wear long-sleeved shirts and pants to lower the likelihood of mosquito bites.

Other Risk Factors

People with Type O blood are 83 percent more likely to be bitten by mosquitoes. Those who have Type A blood are the least likely to attract mosquitoes.

Exercise and metabolism also play a factor in mosquito bites. Aside from carbon dioxide and lactic acid, mosquitoes are attracted to other substances expelled via sweat like uric acid and ammonia, the Smithsonian Magazine reported.

Physically active people often undergo strenuous exercises, which increases the accumulation of lactic acid and body heat that raises their exposure to mosquito bites. Genetic factors, on the other hand, influence the body's production of uric acid and other natural substances emitted by each person. This is why some people attract more mosquitoes than others.

The Constant Danger Of Mosquito Bites

Mosquitoes, especially those that carry severe illnesses like Zika virus, dengue, yellow fever, West Nile and Chikungunya, are highly dangerous. According to Science Daily, mosquito bites are so itchy because of the insect's saliva being injected into a person's skin.

The body's immune respond to this by sending white blood cells and myeloid cells to the location of the bite, but there are times when the immune systems get infected as well. It's easier for viruses to spread throughout the body when the immune cells get infected.