Does it seem like mosquitoes search you out specifically, maniacally biting you just to make you miserable?
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Blame your genes.
And your smelly feet.
Basically, mosquitoes choose their prey — you — based on a whole bunch of factors.
Many myths exist. For example, the idea that eating bananas can repel the bugs doesn't hold up.
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But scientific research has found evidence supporting several reasons why mosquitoes may seek you out, though these studies are often on different kinds of mosquitoes, so the actual things attracting them to you may vary depending on which species are nearby. And many of these studies are small, so these are preliminary hypotheses about what might be going on, not ironclad conclusions.
Still, there's good news: Some of the things that might make you especially attractive to mosquitoes are things you can actually change.
Since — depending on the type of mosquitoes in your area — these little flying beasts can transmit deadly diseases like Zika, malaria, yellow fever, dengue, Chikungunya, and West Nile virus, it would be wise to try to reduce your allure as much as you can.
Here are seven things that could make you irresistible to the pests:
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People with Type O blood tend to attract more mosquitoes than people with other blood types.
Malaria-carrying mosquitoes are attracted to pregnant women twice as much as nonpregnant women in a study. In light of Zika's link to birth defects, this finding is particularly concerning.
Some people's bodies emit attractant compounds, while others emit repellent compounds. It's unclear why or how this works, though researchers have tried to isolate the chemicals to use them for mosquito traps or natural bug spray.