How dengue and Zika infections could make people more attractive to mosquitoes
Being bit by a mosquito carrying dengue or Zika virus can make you sick. The infection can also make you even more attractive for other mosquitoes, new research finds.
It’s an itchy concern for anyone infected, but also poses a major risk to communities at large: Mosquitoes that aren’t already carrying the viruses could be more drawn to sick humans, become infected, and go on to infect more humans. The spread of dengue, in particular, is a threat, with about half the world’s population at risk and hundreds of millions of cases each year. Most cases are asymptomatic, but serious cases can lead to fever and vomiting, and in some instances, organ failure or death.
