Study reveals why South Florida mosquitoes favor certain people over others

A team of biologists examined the feeding choices of Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus by testing the skin odors of 119 volunteers in a uniport olfactometer that prevented actual bites. Each mosquito species displayed unique attraction patterns tied to specific volatile compounds and skin microbiota. Aedes aegypti showed a modest bias toward male participants and was drawn to higher Staphylococcus counts while avoiding certain Pseudomonas species.

Aedes albopictus preferred individuals emitting ketones, especially mesityl oxide, and those with abundant Streptococcus intermedius and Anaerococcus octavius, but shunned Mogibacterium. Culex quinquefasciatus targeted low-odor hosts rich in alpha-pinene and was less attracted to participants with high Actinomyces levels. Across all three species, the fruity scent ethyl 2-methylbutanoate and the bacterium Corynebacterium kefirresidentii were consistently attractive, whereas 1-penten-3-ol reduced attraction. No single volunteer attracted every mosquito type, highlighting the species-specific nature of human appeal.