Odours of Plasmodium falciparum-infected participants influence mosquito-host interactions.

ABSTRACT: Malaria parasites are thought to influence mosquito attraction to human hosts, a phenomenon that may enhance parasite transmission. This is likely mediated by alterations in host odour because of its importance in mosquito host-searching behaviour. Here, we report that the human skin odour profile is affected by malaria infection. We compared the chemical composition and attractiveness to Anopheles coluzzii mosquitoes of skin odours from participants that were infected by Controlled Human Malaria Infection with Plasmodium falciparum. Skin odour composition differed between parasitologically negative and positive samples, with positive samples collected on average two days after parasites emerged from the liver into the blood, being associated with low densities of asexual parasites and the

SUBMITTER: de Boer JG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5570919 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature