Travel Health Advice

Going on holiday and not sure how to avoid those nasty biting insects that can ruin your holiday. Check out our travel advice section compiled by the experts at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine - don't leave home before you've read it.

> Why do I get bitten? How do mosquitoes find me?
> Why does my partner not get bitten but I do?
> Why do I react so badly to getting bitten - I never used to?
> So what can I do to stop myself getting bitten?

Why does my partner not get bitten but I do?

Most people know someone who says "well I never get bitten" or "mosquitoes never leave me alone" - so why is this?

To be honest, it isn't entirely understood at the moment - though there has been a lot of research into the subject. The likelihood is that as the mosquitoes have extremely sensitive and advanced chemical sensors, that they can detect minute differences between different people that we cannot.

Different components of sweat could potentially attract or repel mosquitoes – and sweat is often heavily affected by what we eat or drink. Equally, those who wear a lot of bright colours tend to attract more bites. Unfit and overweight people tend to sweat more heavily – and also produce greater levels of CO₂ - which tends to lead to a greater number of bites.

Women tend to get bitten more than men - sorry ladies. Womens breath contains fractionally higher concentrations of CO2, they tend to be very slightly warmer, and the skin at wrists and ankles is slightly thinner. All three factors increase their visibility to mosquitoes, often making them the first target.

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