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Comment
. 2018 Jul;34(7):547-549.
doi: 10.1016/j.pt.2018.05.003. Epub 2018 Jun 1.

Malaria Parasites Alter Human Odor to Attract Mosquito Vectors

Hillery C Metz  1 , Carolyn S McBride  2
Affiliations
Comment

Malaria Parasites Alter Human Odor to Attract Mosquito Vectors

Hillery C Metz et al. Trends Parasitol. 2018 Jul.

Abstract

Several studies have demonstrated that malaria parasites can render vertebrate hosts - including humans - more attractive to biting mosquitoes. A recent study provides evidence that Plasmodium falciparum infection alters the aldehyde composition of human foot odor, and suggests that this may be the proximate cause of increased attraction.

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  • Plasmodium-associated changes in human odor attract mosquitoes.
    Robinson A, Busula AO, Voets MA, Beshir KB, Caulfield JC, Powers SJ, Verhulst NO, Winskill P, Muwanguzi J, Birkett MA, Smallegange RC, Masiga DK, Mukabana WR, Sauerwein RW, Sutherland CJ, Bousema T, Pickett JA, Takken W, Logan JG, de Boer JG. Robinson A, et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2018 May 1;115(18):E4209-E4218. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1721610115. Epub 2018 Apr 16. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2018. PMID: 29666273 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.

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