评论
打印
It is peak mosquito season, and while some lucky outdoor venturers seem unperturbed by the tiny insects, others appear to be relentlessly assaulted. Scientists are trying to understand what makes certain humans more attractive to the bugs. One expert, molecular vector biologist L.J. Zwiebel, a professor of biological sciences at Vanderbilt University, weighs in.
眼下正是蚊子活动的高峰期，有些在室外活动的幸运儿好像并不受这种小小昆虫的侵扰，而另一些人则似乎不断遭到它们的侵袭。科学家们就什么原因导致某些人更吸引这些恼人的东西进行了探索。其中一名专家──范德堡大学(Vanderbilt University)生物学教授、分子载体生物学家L.J.茨维伯尔(L. J. Zwiebel)也加入了讨论。
Sweet Smell of Success
人体气味
Mosquitoes find their mammalian prey through sensing the heat and carbon dioxide mammals emit. Pregnant women and larger people are sometimes the victim of multiple attacks, since they exert more energy than the average person.
蚊子通过感知哺乳动物释放出的热量和二氧化碳来寻找它们的“猎物”。有时候，怀孕女性与体型较大的人会遭到蚊子多次侵袭，因为他们会比普通人散发出更多能量。
Mosquitoes are also guided by their sense of smell. 'Despite what my grandmother told me, I don't have sweet blood,' says Dr. Zwiebel, since mosquitoes cannot distinguish blood quality. 'Mosquitoes are attracted to our human odor, and that is largely a consequence of the bacteria on our skin,' says Dr. Zwiebel. The 'flora and fauna on our skin' also smell appetizing to mosquitoes, says Dr. Zweibel, and these can increase when we sweat or spend a lot of time outdoors.
此外，蚊子也受到它们嗅觉的指引。茨维伯尔说：“不管我奶奶以前对我讲过什么，但是我的血肯定不香甜，”这是因为蚊子并不能辨别血液的品质。他指出：“蚊子是被我们人类的气味吸引的，这主要是因为我们皮肤上有细菌。”他说，“我们皮肤上菌群”的气味也吸引蚊子，当我们出汗或在室外呆了很长时间后，这些菌群的数量就会增加。
As far as Dr. Zwiebel knows, there is no scientific basis to prove that having high cholesterol or diabetes, despite what some websites claim, will keep bugs away. Nor will taking vitamin B supplements, eating garlic or taking specific medications.
就茨维伯尔所知，尽管某些网站报道称高胆固醇或糖尿病可防范蚊子，但这一说法并无科学证明。此外，服用维生素B、吃大蒜或服用某些药物可驱蚊的说法也没有科学依据。
Skeeter Immunity
叮咬免疫力
After 20 years in labs with the biting bugs, Dr. Zwiebel says he can stick his arm into a container of mozzies and be bit hundreds of times, yet 'not have a hair out of place.' Children, who have been bitten far fewer times than adults, may have stronger reactions to bites, since their immune systems haven't matured fully. But adults who are convinced they are being victimized by the bloodsuckers usually are not. 'There are some people who have strong allergic responses to the bites which may make it seem like they're being bit more often, but they're probably not,' Dr. Zwiebel notes.
茨维伯尔在实验室中与这种咬人的昆虫呆了20年时间，他说他能把胳膊伸进一个装有蚊子的容器中，被咬上几百次也“毫发无损”。儿童被蚊子叮咬的频率低于成年人，但他们对叮咬的反应可能会更强烈，因为他们的免疫系统尚未完全成熟。常常有些确信自己被这种“吸血虫”侵害的成年人其实并没遭到叮咬。茨维伯尔指出：“有些人会对叮咬产生强烈的过敏反应，这可能会使他们显得更经常遭受叮咬，但也许事情并非如此。”
