Host's Scent Manipulated by Malaria Parasite

Chemical odor signal of hosts is altered by malaria parasites, so as to attract mosquitoes and improve spread of their offspring, say researchers. They believe this scent change could be used as a diagnostic tool. "Malaria-infected mice are more attractive to mosquitoes than uninfected mice," said Mark Mescher, associate professor of entomology, Penn State. "They are the most attractive to these mosquito vectors when the disease is most transmissible." ...