While you are likely familiar with the annoying experience of being a mosquito’s ‘meal of the day’, more is going on behind the scenes of that insect bite than meets the eye. Mosquitoes, which are drawn to human scent and breath, require proteins from the blood of their victims to develop their eggs and reproduce. This sounds harmless enough, but mosquitoes also excel at picking up blood-borne diseases like malaria and passing them on from person to person, leading to over a million deaths per year. Now, scientists may have found a drug that can reduce this public health burden by making mosquitoes less likely to bite humans.
To tackle this challenge, Leslie Vosshall’s group at The Rockefeller University took advantage of a panel of previously developed drugs that mimic the action of a natural appetite controlling molecule called neuropeptide Y. Vosshall and colleagues screened through over 250,000 of these drugs, eventually landing on one that had the greatest effect on mosquito biting behavior, referred to as compound 18. When mosquitoes were fed a saline solution supplemented with compound 18, they were significantly less drawn to human body odor than mosquitoes fed normal saline. Importantly, they were also less likely to bite lab mice with which they were housed, indicating that treatment with compound 18 translates into decreased biting overall by mosquitoes.
To translate this discovery into reduced human disease transmission, scientists could work with engineers to design mosquito lures that contain saline supplemented with compound 18. This may be far off, however, as scientists still need to find ways to prolong compound 18’s effect, and produce it at large scales. Other groups have devised alternative methods to reduce disease transmission by using hotly debated gene drives to engineer disease-resistant mosquitoes, or reduce mosquito populations overall. Potential risks of genetically engineering mosquitoes include the evolution of new disease strains that can overpower the mosquitoes’ newfound resistance, and changes in the overall ecosystem. Tweaking the behavior of existing mosquitoes through diet may offer a more ecologically responsible solution to our mosquito problems.
For more information:
- To learn about the use of gene drives to reduce disease transmission by mosquitoes, check out this article, previously published by SITN.
- A summary of the biological and geopolitical debate around gene drive technology can be found in this article, published by Vox.
Managing Correspondent: Benjamin Andreone
News Article: A New Way to Keep Mosquitoes From Biting. The Atlantic
Original Article: Small-Molecule Agonists of Ae. aegypti Neuropeptide Y Receptor Block Mosquito Biting. Cell
Image Credit: Pixabay
Here’s a fun anecdote about mosquito bites. For about 4-5 years, I was completely immune to them, despite living in areas where there are a lot of mosquitoes (Australia / Bali) I was never bit. I discovered that I had stage 3 colorectal cancer, I went through heavy chemo / radiotherapy treatment, for about 2 years. Now the cancer is gone, and mosquitoes absolutely love me.
Speaking with my oncology team, and other patients, they shared similar experiences when asked. I’m really curious as to why there hasn’t been a more comprehensive study on this, because without a doubt there is a correlation there. Mosquitoes could potentially be used for early detection of cancer in the general population, and then we’d actually be able to find a good user for these little buggers, rather than just being satisfied when we kill them.
Just wanted to add that my neurologist tried me on Gabapentin one summer for my seizures. I normally get bit a lot by mosquitoes, but that summer I got no bites. I had to go off Gabapentin because it made my seizures occur more often. But I sure missed my mosquito repellent after I stopped taking it.
My husband used to be bitten every day like crazy – it would ruin his summer. He had a heart attack after recovering from covid, and now takes blood pressure meds, cholesterol meds & an anti-platelet. He has not had one mosquito bite this summer. He even watches them fly around his body & leave with even landing on him…
My granddaughter has something called Skeeter syndrome. When she gets a mosquito bite just a regular mosquito bite they’re the size of a tennis ball
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I use essential oils and it seems like it helps.anyone know if theres a pill or something to take to keep florida mosquitoes away. Im at cuc73@aol.com
.. Pls help and everyone stay safe with the virus
Which essential oils do you use for mosquito repellent
I take numerous meds 4 blood pressure and blood clots. Since I’ve been taking plavix I have not been bitten by a mosquito. My neighbor’s get bites all the time right next to me but I get nothing I’m not complaining but I was just curious if the plavix had something to do with it or was it one of the blood pressure meds.
I take propranolol (a beta blocker and blood pressure medicine) and I work outside all summer long and have been bitten in years. I also haven’t had a tick bite, though I have found them crawling on me.
I used to get bitten by mosquitoes very rarely. But once I started taking Lisinopril I seem to get bitten rather frequently. It could just be a coincidence, but I wonder if there is a connection.
I am a person that mosquitos loved, but since I began taking first Lisinopril and then changed to Losartin, I have not had one mosquito bite.
I’m wondering if galabatintin repels mosquitos? I don’t get bitten hardly since taking the med. I’m not being bitten every day numerous times.
Hi.u mentioned to keep misquitoes away.u said galabatintin.but when i look it up for what it does.i cant find it online.whats it for.pls let me know.i get bit alot.im at cuc73@aol.com and 347 737 0042
I believe they meant gabapentin.
I think they meant gabapentin, a drug designed for epileptic seizures, but more often written off-script for neuropathy. I also take gabapentin, but obviously the mosquitos don’t know that…?
My husband takes Gabapentin, but the mosquitoes still feast on him daily. Ever since I started taking Xarelto (blood thinner), I never get mosquito bites anymore.