2023-06-05 15:19:00
The return of sunny days and high temperatures also signals the return of mosquitoes. A scourge in the face of which we are not all equal. Several factors come into play, such as exhaling CO2, which attracts them even in the dark, as well as the smell of our skin.
If each of us has a “signature olfactive“which is specific to it, the use of a shower gel would also modify this mixture which is specific to us. This is the result of a recent study by the University of Virginia Tech in the United States. It demonstrates that the composition of our soap might more or less attract mosquitoes, while influencing our own smell.Results published in the journal iScience.
To each his own olfactory signature
“The fumes from human skin, the result of our metabolic activity and its microbiota, constitute a “smelling fingerprint” and are the reason why mosquitoes prefer certain individuals to others. Variations in people’s olfactory profiles are also influenced by a variety of factors, such as genetic differences, gender, age, body parts, food consumed, sports, pregnancy and health.“, explain the researchers from Virginia Tech.
For their study, the researchers selected four soaps sold in mass distribution in the United States according to their popularity: Dial, Dove, Native and Simple Truth. The first step consisted in determining the specific smell of each of the 4 participants and its chemical characteristics before putting them in contact with mosquitoes, of the species Temples of the Egyptiansthe main vector of dengue fever, Zika virus infection, chikungunya and yellow fever.
Each of the participants, with his own signature, more or less attracted mosquitoes. Then the forearm of each of the participants was washed with each of the four shower gels selected. Ten seconds of washing with 1 gram of soap, then 10 seconds of rinsing with water. The other forearm was only rinsed with water. Each time, the smell of the soap was collected with aluminum and nylon bands. Both “olfactory fingerprints“Forearms were then presented to the mosquitoes.
A possible repellent action of coconut oil
Result: the researchers found that, from the outset, some participants naturally attracted mosquitoes when their arm was not washed. When washed with three of the shower gels (Dial, Dove and Simple trush), the skin looked even more mosquito-friendly. Certain ingredients present in these products therefore have the property of modifying the body odor of the skin and of attracting mosquitoes even more.
However, these reactions varied between the soaps and the smell specific to each of the participants. Only one soap, Native, seemed to have a repellent action and contained coconut. These are the fatty acids present in coconut oil, lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid, which would repel insects. In addition, all soaps contained as main product limonene, known to repel mosquitoes. This did not prevent three of the four participants from being targeted by mosquitoes following washing with them.
However, this study has some limitations, since it only involved four participants, which limits the conclusions that can be drawn. In addition, the tests were carried out within an hour of washing. It is therefore difficult to know if an exhibition later in the day would have the same results.
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