--- title: The Likelihood of Being Bit By a Mosquito Could Be Genetic description: A new study of twins suggests that the a person's attractiveness to mosquitos may be genetic. canonical: https://time.com/3831831/mosquitos-genetic/ author: Alexandra Sifferlin article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-04-22T20:04:51.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:05:15.556Z article:section: Health og:title: Your Chance of Getting Mosquito Bites Could Be Genetic og:description: A new study suggests a link between genes and mosquito bites og:url: https://time.com/3831831/mosquitos-genetic/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltfca2d425aff3094c/6987ec63428a9e3c45ccb0c3/img_4343-1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4000 og:image:height: 2250 og:image:alt: IMG_4343-1 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Your Chance of Getting Mosquito Bites Could Be Genetic twitter:description: A new study suggests a link between genes and mosquito bites twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltfca2d425aff3094c/6987ec63428a9e3c45ccb0c3/img_4343-1.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Your Chance of Getting Mosquito Bites Could Be Genetic > Sponsored content. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=1cc90b35-001f-439f-9ae0-7f2df7c0cd2f&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: How $1,000 Could Help Your Health [Watch (HLS stream): How $1,000 Could Help Your Health](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/EILRa37f.m3u8) (2:01)  _Published 2014-08-22. From acupuncture to yoga, $1,000 can go a long way to improving your health._ by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Apr 22, 2015 8:04 PM UTC  Identical twin sisters partake in an experiment to see how attractive their hands are to mosquitoes. Identical twin sisters partake in an experiment to see how attractive their hands are to mosquitoes. London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Apr 22, 2015 8:04 PM UTC If you’re always getting mosquito bites, you may be able to blame your genes, a [new study](http://time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/pone-10-4-fernandez-grandon.pdf) suggests. To understand whether the traits that make a person more or less attractive to mosquitoes are genetic—odors for instance—researchers conducted a study looking at 18 sets of identical twins and 19 sets of non-identical twins. Their findings were published in the journal _PLOS ONE_. The researchers released mosquitoes into a Y shaped tube that allowed the mosquito pick a side to fly down. The twins’ hands were at either end of the tube (see photo). If the mosquitoes were attracted to the hands’ odor, they would fly toward them and if they were repelled by the hands they would fly away from them. Interestingly, identical twins were more similar in the level of attractiveness to mosquitoes than non-identical twins, which the researchers suggest could mean that genes play a role. It’s possible that identical twins have very similar odors since they are genetically exactly the same. Though the sample size is small, the researchers say the findings have implications for future mosquito bite prevention. “By investigating the genetic mechanism behind attractiveness to biting insects such as mosquitoes we can move closer to using this knowledge for better ways of keeping us safe from bites and the diseases insects can spread through bites,” said study author James Logan, a senior lecturer at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, in a statement. “In the future we may even be able to take a pill which will enhance the production of natural repellents by the body and ultimately replace skin lotions.” ## Transcript [00:05] [ MUSIC ] $ 1, 000 can really put you on the road to [00:07] good health, or at least to better health. A lot of [00:11] workers say that they're really stressed, unless [00:13] productive. But half of workers say that stress makes [00:17] them less productive at work. And there are a lot of [00:20] studies that show that people who are more stressed [00:23] have higher medical bills. And that makes sense. If you [00:26] are stressed you may miss more work. You may go, go [00:28] to doctor more often. So if you can invest $ 1000, you [00:31] can really improve your health and lower your own [00:34] costs. Yoga is a great way to reduce stress. It helps [00:37] you with deep breathing, relaxation exercises. And a [00:40] mindfulness that can really reduce your tension. Yoga [00:44] classes cost about $ 15 to $ 20 each, at, that would [00:47] get you doing downward dog about twice a week for [00:50] six months. Acupuncture is another great way to [00:53] reduce stress. It may be covered by your health [00:55] insurance, so check that first. If not, acupuncture [00:58] sessions cost about $ 16 to $ 120. Modern exercise [01:03] has been proven as a great way to reduce stress. To [01:06] incorporate it on a regular basis in your busy life, [01:10] consider riding your bike to and from work. Or, taking [01:14] a bike ride when you get home from work in the [01:15] evening. Now, a good bike can cost you $ 1000. But [01:19] think of it as a long- term investment, a good bike will [01:22] last you many. If you have 10 thousand dollars, there's [01:25] a lot you can do to invest in your health. A personal [01:28] trainer, may give you the motivation you need to [01:31] exercise, that you might not be able to do on your [01:33] own. That costs you about 50 dollars a session, which [01:37] could give you about 100 sessions, that you could [01:40] spread out over two years. Another great way to. T [01:43] find someone to motivate you is to consult a [01:45] nutritionist. A first- time session with a nutitionist will [01:47] cost about $ 150. But, if you wanna do follow- up [01:51] sessions, to create say a health plan to see how you're [01:54] doing, that'll cost you about $ 100. See if your health [01:57] insurance may cover that, as well. 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