Why do people get bitten by insects more than others?

Doctors have explained why some people react badly to insect bites in comparison to others.

Anne Larchy, 52, from north London, is just one of those who reacts badly to bites so much so her hands and feet swell to nearly double their usual size.

She was admitted to hospital 25 years ago while on holiday in Israel after she was bitten 15 times.

Anne missed out on being a volunteer at the London 2012 Olympics because a bite on her foot meant she couldn’t put her shoe on or stand.

She told MailPlus: ‘Each summer I get an infected bite at least once, often on my foot, ankle, hand or arms probably as they are the most exposed.

‘I usually get bitten at the park or golf course.

‘I apply strong insect repellent to try to stop it from happening and my arms and legs are fully covered, but they still manage to bite me. I know it could be worse if I didn’t do that, though.’

James Logan, a professor of medical entomology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, explained: ‘Over time, your body can become immune and not react very much.

‘Some of us do get bitten more than others, which could be down to our smell.

‘People who don’t get bitten much produce natural repellents in their body odour which act as their own natural defence system.

‘These chemicals (known as aldehydes and ketones), are thought to be down to genetic and environmental factors, as well as to the types of bacteria that we all have living harmlessly on our skin.

‘Some of these chemicals are released in sweat and they can also be eaten by the bacteria on the skin which, in turn, produces more of these chemicals – in theory making bites even less likely.’

Midges are also more likely to bite men who are tall and women with a larger body mass index (BMI), a study led by Professor Logan found.

‘We don’t really know why it is. It may be because there is more of them to bite, or their bodies are producing more attractants, such as carbon dioxide, in their breath,’ he added.

Taller people have larger chests and lungs, meaning they may take in more oxygen and breathe out more carbon dioxide.

Other research found people with blood type O are most attractive to mosquitoes who ‘sniff out’ this bloody type but it is not clear why they do this.

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