A new way to avoid Mosquito bites found

lrich Bernier of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has found a way to anticipate the mosquito bites. The researchers reportedly using a group of chemical components including 1-methylpiperzine, which is able to withstand the mosquito's sense of smell. Scientists believe the research could be another step in the fight to stamp out deadly diseases such as malaria, which kills approximately one million people around the world every year.

U.S. scientists are working on an 'invisibility cloak' for mosquito-plagued people, pets and livestock. The researchers have discovered substances that occur naturally on human skin and block mosquitoes' ability to smell and target their victims. (Picture from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/)

"The most widely used repellant, DEET, is quite effective and has been in use for a long time. However, some people don't like the feel or the smell of DEET.  We are exploring a different approach, with substances that impair the mosquito's sense of smell. If a mosquito can't sense that dinner is ready, there will be no buzzing, no landing and no bite," Bernier said as quoted by ScienceDaily.

Ulrich Bernier, Ph.D., uses a hands-on approach for testing substances that block the mosquito’s sense of smell and ability to target humans. (Picture from: http://www.sciencedaily.com/)

A person's scent, Bernier explained, comes from hundreds of compounds on the skin, many emitted through sweat and others produced by bacteria. To identify which of these attract mosquitoes, Bernier and colleagues used a special mosquito cage divided by a screen. They sprayed various substances into one side of the cage, and documented the effects in attracting mosquitoes. Some compounds, like lactic acid (a common component of human sweat) were definite mosquito lures, drawing 90 percent of the mosquitoes to the screen. With other compounds, however, many of the mosquitoes didn't even take flight or seemed confused.

"If you put your hand in a cage of mosquitoes where we have released some of these inhibitors, almost all just sit on the back wall and don't even recognize that the hand is in there. We call that anosmia or hyposmia, the inability to sense smells or a reduced ability to sense smells," said Bernier.

He said that a group of chemical compounds, including 1-methylpiperzine, block mosquitoes' sense of smell. This may help explain why mosquitoes fly toward some people but not others. The substances have a molecular architecture found in ingredients in dozens of medicines and other products. They appear suitable for use in cosmetics, lotions, clothing and other products that currently incorporate mosquito repellants.

The Bernier's presentation was part of a meeting symposium on biopesticides, which come from natural sources such as plants, animals, minerals and bacteria. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SCIENCEDAILY | DAILYMAIL | PIKIRAN RAKYAT 10102013]

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