--- title: Itchy Mosquito Bites Help Spread Disease By Inflammation description: Inflammation and itch from mosquito bites help the virus replicate and spread disease, which has implications for Zika and dengue canonical: https://time.com/4376357/mosquito-bites-itchy-virus-disease/ author: Alexandra Sifferlin article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-06-21T16:00:47.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:55:25.375Z article:section: Health og:title: Mosquito Bite Itchiness Helps Viruses Spread og:description: Inflammation and itch from mosquito bites help the virus replicate and spread disease, which has implications for Zika and dengue og:url: https://time.com/4376357/mosquito-bites-itchy-virus-disease/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt176cc0e5ad5d5db2/698898c1428a9e7f03cd3211/mosquito-bites.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5100 og:image:height: 2869 og:image:alt: Asian Tiger Mosquito biting, Spain og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Mosquito Bite Itchiness Helps Viruses Spread twitter:description: Inflammation and itch from mosquito bites help the virus replicate and spread disease, which has implications for Zika and dengue twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt176cc0e5ad5d5db2/698898c1428a9e7f03cd3211/mosquito-bites.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Mosquito Bite Itchiness Helps Viruses Spread > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=c65a4958-302b-44de-a292-6f61e1c6e307&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=c65a4958-302b-44de-a292-6f61e1c6e307&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=c65a4958-302b-44de-a292-6f61e1c6e307&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. 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=c65a4958-302b-44de-a292-6f61e1c6e307&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: 12,000 Pregnant Women in Colombia Have Zika [Watch (HLS stream): 12,000 Pregnant Women in Colombia Have Zika](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/SRAOnkbs.m3u8) (0:49)  _Published 2016-06-16. An early report on Zika spread in Colombia reveals that close to 12,000 pregnant women have the virus._ by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Jun 21, 2016 4:00 PM UTC  Female of the Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus) biting on human skin and bloodfeeding to generate a new egg batch. Invasive, potentially disease-carrying species around the world, photographed in Catalonia, Spain, where it is present since 2004. Female of the Asian Tiger Mosquito (Aedes albopictus) biting on human skin and bloodfeeding to generate a new egg batch. Invasive, potentially disease-carrying species around the world, photographed in Catalonia, Spain, where it is present since 2004. Getty Images by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Jun 21, 2016 4:00 PM UTC The purpose of a [mosquito bite’s itch](http://time.com/4177122/mosquitoes-diseases-zika-virus/) might not be just to bother you. The bite’s very itchiness also helps viruses spread, according to a [new study](http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2016.06.002). In the paper published in the journal _Immunity_, researchers report that the inflammation and itchiness that accompany mosquito bites both [help the virus spread around the body](http://time.com/4219582/zika-virus-how-spreads-mosquitoes/) and increase the odds that the virus causes sickness. The study authors allowed some mice to be bitten by mosquitoes and then injected a virus into the bite site. They also injected a virus into mice without mosquito bites and compared the reactions. They found that when a mosquito injects its saliva into the skin, it spurs a response from the immune system which sends cells to the location of the bite. What was surprising, the researchers say, is that some of the immunity cells were infected and helped replicate the virus, allowing it to further spread. When the mice were infected with the virus without a mosquito bite, the virus did not replicate as well, suggesting the mosquito bite process plays a role in viral transmission through the body. Findings from mice studies cannot be directly translated to humans, but the study adds to the knowledge of how mosquitoes spread disease. “Inflammation caused by mosquito bites helps viruses to establish a successful infection,” says study author Clive McKimmie, a research fellow at the University of Leeds, in an email. “Mosquito bites are not just annoying but they are key for the virus to cause disease.” Viruses that can be spread through mosquito saliva include [Zika](http://time.com/4371779/zika-virus-birth-defects-us/), which is rapidly spreading through the Americas, as well as [dengue](http://time.com/4318624/zika-virus-and-birth-defects-what-you-need-to-know/) and [chikungunya](http://time.com/3631711/chikungunya-epidemic-2014/?iid=sr-link1). But according to McKimmie, it can be hard for public health experts to predict which viruses will cause epidemics because there are so many different kinds. The Zika virus, for example, was not very well studied before the current outbreak because scientists did not know that it caused birth defects. “All these viruses have one thing in common: they start with a mosquito bite,” says McKimmie. “We hope that we can dampen the inflammation at the bite site using an anti-inflammatory cream.” By using such a treatment, McKimmie and his colleagues think it’s possible to stop the inflammation and spread of the disease through the body. However, more research is needed to determine the efficacy of such a strategy. ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] As of April, there were nearly 66, 000 reported Zika cases in Colombia, but that number is likely an underestimate. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4376357/mosquito-bites-itchy-virus-disease/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4376357/mosquito-bites-itchy-virus-disease/"},"headline":"Mosquito Bite Itchiness Helps Viruses Spread","datePublished":"2016-06-21T16:00:47.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:55:25.375Z","description":"The bumps from mosquito bites mean viruses are spreading more effectively","url":"https://time.com/4376357/mosquito-bites-itchy-virus-disease/","keywords":["Infectious Disease","Disease","viruses","inflammation","Zika virus","Zika"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt176cc0e5ad5d5db2/698898c1428a9e7f03cd3211/mosquito-bites.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Alexandra Sifferlin","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt176cc0e5ad5d5db2/698898c1428a9e7f03cd3211/mosquito-bites.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Asian Tiger Mosquito biting, Spain","caption":"Asian Tiger Mosquito biting, Spain","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/infectious-disease/","name":"Infectious Disease"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4376357/mosquito-bites-itchy-virus-disease/","name":"Mosquito Bite Itchiness Helps Viruses Spread"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"12,000 Pregnant Women in Colombia Have Zika","description":"An early report on Zika spread in Colombia reveals that close to 12,000 pregnant women have the virus.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/SRAOnkbs/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2016-06-16T14:36:35.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/SRAOnkbs.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4376357/mosquito-bites-itchy-virus-disease/","duration":"PT49S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4376357/mosquito-bites-itchy-virus-disease/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```