Jun 28, 2023 23:00:00

Six measures to prevent mosquito bites

Daiki Tagami, who was a second-year high school student at the time, said that the reason why some people are prone to mosquito bites and others are less likely to be bitten by mosquitoes is because the number of types of bacteria living on their feet is different. In May 2023, a research team at Virginia Tech University revealed

that using floral-scented soap makes it easier for mosquitoes to bite .

Maisy Volance, who studies mosquito ecology at the University of Oxford, has compiled information on known countermeasures and myths about how to make mosquito bites less likely.

Do these seven things really stop mosquitoes biting you?
https://theconversation.com/do-these-seven-things-really-stop-mosquitoes-biting-you-208080

◆ 1: Insect repellent (DEET)
'DEET' is an insect repellent ingredient contained in many insect repellents, and it can also be used on bare skin. Researchers at Anhui Medical University in China have shown that DEET lasts longer than other insect repellents.

According to Earth Pharmaceutical, DEET is the first insect repellent ingredient approved in Japan , and in addition to insect repellents containing 30% DEET, products containing 10% DEET or less that can be used from 6 months of age are also on sale. I'm here.

◆2: Insecticide treatment
If you don't like applying insect repellent to your skin, you can also spray insecticide on your clothes. This technique is effective in preventing mosquito bites from over clothing, and it seems that the military has adopted it.

◆3: Deodorant
Researchers at the University of Wageningen in the Netherlands have revealed that a compound called isopropyl tetradecanoate (isopropyl myristate) contained in deodorants reduces the attraction rate of mosquitoes by as much as 50%. Studies at the University of California School of Medicine have shown that sweating attracts mosquitoes, so if you don't want to be bitten by mosquitoes in the summer, it's important to use deodorants and antiperspirants.

◆4: Soap
According to a paper published by Virginia Tech in May 2023, among soap makers, Dove and Simple Truth, which have floral scents, are more likely to be bitten by mosquitoes, while using Native soap It was said that there was a tendency to make it difficult to attract mosquitoes.

However, even if you use the same soap, the final smell will change depending on the person, so there is no guarantee that it will be effective, says Volans.

◆ 5: Beer
In 2010, the French Institute for Genetics and Evolution of Infectious Diseases and others conducted a study on the attraction rate of mosquitoes after drinking water and beer , and found that the body odor after drinking beer is more attractive to mosquitoes. made it clear. If you're afraid of mosquito bites, avoid beer. It is also known that drinking water does not reduce the mosquito attraction rate.

◆6: Banana
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin have shown that mosquitoes can be attracted to the smell of your hands after eating bananas . On the other hand, the smell of hands after eating grapes did not change the mosquito attraction rate, so it may be one way to eat other fruits such as grapes instead of bananas during the summer. not.

Bonus: garlic and vitamin B
There is a myth that eating garlic and taking vitamin B can keep mosquitoes away. However, research by Mr. T. V. Rajan et al. of the Center for Pathogenic Microorganisms published in 2005 shows that garlic has no effect on keeping mosquitoes away. Also, research by Anthony R. Ibis et al. of the University of Wisconsin announced in 2005 shows that vitamin B has no effect on keeping mosquitoes away.