Over the course of the last three years, the researchers asked a group of 64 volunteers to wear nylon stockings on their arms for six hours a day for several days. Maria Elena De Obaldia, the first author of the study and a former postdoctoral fellow at Rockefeller University, built a “two-choice olfactometer assay”: an acrylic glass chamber into which the researchers placed two of the stockings. The study team then released yellow fever mosquitoes — scientifically called Aedes aegypti — into the chamber and noted which sock attracted them the most.

This test allowed the researchers to separate study participants into “mosquito magnets,” whose socks attracted a lot of mosquitoes, and “low attractors,” who didn’t seem as attractive to insects. The scientists examined the skin of the mosquito magnets and found 50 molecular compounds that were higher in these participants than in the others.

“We had no preconceived notions about what we would find,” Vosshall, who is also chief scientific officer of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, told CNN. But one difference was particularly distinctive: Mosquito magnets have much higher rates of carboxylic acid in the skin than low attractors.

Carboxylic acids are found in sebum, the oily substance that creates a barrier and helps keep skin hydrated. Carboxylic acids are large molecules, Vosshall explained. “They’re not that smelly by themselves,” she said. But beneficial bacteria on the skin “chew these acids, which produce the characteristic human odor,” which may be what attracts mosquitoes, according to Vosshall.
The odor of skin secretions plays a role

One of the study participants, identified as Subject 33, was the center of attention for mosquitoes: the subject’s stockings were 100 times more attractive to mosquitoes than those of the rest of the participants.
And the level of human attraction appeared to remain fairly constant over time for the participants who were tracked over the three-year period, Vosshall said.

Subject 33, for example, “never stopped being the most attractive human being” to mosquitoes, which could be “bad news for those who are mosquito magnets.” When it comes to the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the females prefer to use human blood to fuel their egg production, speeding up their search for humans to hunt. And these mini-predators use a variety of mechanisms to identify and choose the humans they bite, Vosshall said.
Carboxylic acids are just one piece of the puzzle that explains how pesky insects choose their targets. Body heat and the carbon dioxide we release when we breathe are also a factor of attraction.

Scientists don’t yet know why carboxylic acids seem to attract mosquitoes so strongly, Vosshall said. But the next step could be to explore the effects of reducing carboxylic acids on the skin.
“You can’t completely remove natural moisturizers from your skin, that would be bad for your skin’s health.” However, Vosshall said dermatological products could minimize carboxylic acid levels and reduce mosquito bites.

“Each bite of these mosquitoes puts people in a dangerous situation for their health,” he said. “Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are contagious vectors for dengue, yellow fever and Zika. Those magnet people will be much more likely to get infected with those viruses.”

Mosquitoes evolved to hunt based on scent
Matthew DeGennaro, an associate professor at Florida International University who specializes in mosquito neurogenetics, told CNN that the study results help answer long-standing questions about what specific factors cause mosquitoes to choose some humans more. than others. He did not participate in the study.

“This study clearly shows that these acids are important,” he said. “Now the way mosquitoes perceive these carboxylic acids is interesting because these particular chemicals are really heavy, so they’re hard to smell from a distance.”

“It could be that these chemicals are altered by, say, the skin microbiome, and that causes a certain type of odour. Or it could be that other factors in the environment break down these chemicals a bit, so they’re easier for mosquitoes to detect.”

The results are also “a great example of how well insects can smell,” DeGennaro added. “This insect has evolved to hunt us.” For DeGennaro, the staying power of certain humans’ attractiveness is one of the most interesting aspects of the research.

“We didn’t know that there were very stable preferences of mosquitoes for certain people,” he said. “It might suggest that the skin microbiome is important, although they didn’t address that.”
Further research should explore the microbiome that exists on human skin to understand why mosquitoes are attracted to certain compounds over others, she said. And that could lead to better products to reduce mosquito bites and the spread of disease.

“I think if we understand why mosquitoes find a host, we can design new repellants that stop mosquitoes from detecting those chemicals,” DeGennaro said. “And this could be used to improve our current repellents.”

(With information from CNN in Spanish)

Along this path, this Tuesday afternoon two exchanges were held between the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, with experts and scientists for health issues, and the members of the Temporary Group of I work for the prevention and control of COVID-19 and dengue.

At the center of the analyzes of both meetings was the evaluation of the behavior of the dengue and COVID-19 epidemics in the country, two aspects that do not allow carelessness in their confrontation.

Dengue in October: Maintain surveillance and vector control
October —assert the specialists— is confirmed in Cuba as a month in which the infestation rates of the Aedes aegypti mosquito tend to increase and, therefore, also the incidence of dengue among the Cuban population.

Such reflections were shared this Tuesday during President Díaz-Canel’s meeting with experts and scientists for health issues, in which Dr. Francisco Durán García, director of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Public Health, drew attention to the effects of Hurricane Ian in the epidemiological situation of the country and the importance of maintaining and intensifying vector control actions.

To the extent that the sanitation work progresses —he reflected— we will be in better conditions to contain the increase in the infestation, which is ultimately what is leading us to still have somewhat high incidence rates of suspected cases.

In support of his assessments, he commented on the experience of health intervention that is currently being carried out in the province of Mayabeque, specifically in the municipality of Batabanó, in the community of Surgidero, where the effects associated with Hurricane Ian made the epidemiological situation.

Even though there the cases with febrile syndrome that are being seen in the demand for care have not decreased, it is indisputable that the rates of infestation are improving discreetly, he considered.

Precisely in the municipality of Batabanó, dengue transmission was opened during the last week, the first deputy minister of the Ministry of Public Health, Tania Margarita Cruz Hernández, would explain shortly after, at the Temporary Working Group meeting for the prevention and control of COVID-19. 19 and dengue. The epidemiological control and surveillance actions implemented there have been essential to avoid a much more complex scenario.

Reporting on the behavior of the disease in the country over the course of the last week, Cruz Hernández specified that dengue transmission is maintained in the 15 provinces, as well as in 44 municipalities and 62 health areas. As a favorable element, she highlighted that the incidence rate of suspected cases decreased by 32.7% compared to the same preceding period.

The provinces with rates of suspected cases above the national average are Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, Camagüey, Matanzas, Sancti Spíritus, Villa Clara and Mayabeque.

In this sense, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party insisted on the priority with which work must be done throughout the country in the identification of foci in order to act against the proliferation of the mosquito.

Without trusting ourselves before covid-19
September has been the best month of this year in terms of the incidence of COVID-19 in Cuba, assured Dr. Raúl Guinovart Díaz, dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Computing of the University of Havana, when sharing together to experts and scientists for health issues, the usual forecasts on the behavior of the epidemic.

The forecasts, he assessed, are quite favorable for all the provinces, and it is expected that the trend towards control will continue throughout the national territory.

The figures shared shortly after, at the meeting of the Temporary Working Group for the prevention and control of COVID-19 and dengue, by the First Vice Minister of Public Health, although they do not constitute any reason to neglect the epidemiological surveillance actions associated with the disease, show the favorable situation that is manifested throughout the country.

Let us take some examples as a basis for this certainty: at the end of the last week, ending on October 1, the diagnosis of positive cases decreased by 53.1% compared to the same previous period; there were eight weeks in which a decrease in infections was confirmed; Meanwhile, for six consecutive weeks, the death of no Cuban as a result of COVID-19 has been regretted.

Given this favorable scenario, an evident example of how much work has been done in Cuba to contain the epidemic and minimize its damage to the population, the President of the Republic insisted that we cannot trust each other, and we must continue to monitor and observe the behavior of the disease. in order to maintain the control that has been achieved over it.

Intertwine strategies to advance health goals
Precisely about the many and diverse actions that are promoted and implemented by the Ministry of Public Health to comply with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and their articulation with the 2030 National Economic and Social Development Plan in the post-COVID-19 context, he detailed also during the working day Ileana Morales Suárez, director of Science and Technological Innovation of the Ministry of Public Health.

The COVID-19 epidemic, she assured, has not been a reason to neglect these lines of work, which are of vital importance to guarantee a better quality of life for our population. When the world set goal 3, which is to “guarantee a healthy life and promote the well-being of all”, multiple strategies had already been outlined in our country to achieve it, recalled Morales Suárez.

In an inclusive manner, she detailed, we have managed to align the Sustainable Development Goals with the National Plan for Economic and Social Development and that has led us to a more comprehensive strategy for compliance.

As an unquestionable strength to advance in these purposes, he highlighted, among others, all the Health structures that exist throughout the country, such as the clinics; the Family Physician Program; the universities of Medical Sciences; almost half a million health workers; cooperation links with other organizations, and a healthcare and scientific network.

Cuba, like the rest of the countries in the world, faces great health challenges. More than six decades of Revolution have paved the way so that facing them is not a matter of one day or carrying out campaigns, but rather a supreme purpose on the road to protecting the health of its people.

(By: Yaima Puig Meneses)

The exchange was led by the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Party and president of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, and the prime minister, Manuel Marrero Cruz, a member of the Political Bureau.

The head of the Ministry of Public Health, José Ángel Portal Miranda, reported that there is dengue transmission in the 15 provinces and the Isle of Youth. The incidence rate of suspected cases in the past week, number 37 of the year, increased with respect to the previous one by 2.5 percent.

The infestation and disease rates continue to warn that institutional, family and business responsibility in order to reduce the outbreaks of the Aedes aegypti mosquito is key in dengue control, starting with the quality of the work of those who work in the anti-vector campaign .

In the meeting by videoconference with political and government authorities from all the country’s territories, the president of the National Assembly of People’s Power, Esteban Lazo Hernández; the deputy prime ministers, Commander of the Revolution Ramiro Valdés Menéndez, Inés María Chapman Waugh, Ricardo Cabrisas Ruíz, Alejandro Gil Fernández and Jorge Luis Perdomo Di-Lella, as well as ministers and other authorities.

The meeting, which systematically analyzes the behavior of a group of sectors and activities directly linked to the daily life of the population, also evaluated the covid-19 epidemic, whose indicators continue to go towards a sustained decline, a sign of the control that Cuba has achieved in confronting the disease and the transmission of the virus.

The issue was also addressed at the weekly meeting of the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister with experts and scientists for health issues. Doctor of Science Gerardo Guillén Nieto, director of Biomedical Research at the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), presented the Cuban strategy for the dengue vaccine.

It is a path that still requires time, but that is becoming more and more viable given the strength of the wealth of knowledge and results achieved by Cuban scientists working on this initiative and which has achieved great international prestige.

It is a national project that began in 1992, at the initiative of Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, and is jointly developed by the Pedro Kourí Institute of Tropical Medicine (IPK) and the CIGB.

At this week’s meeting of experts and scientists for Health issues, the usual forecasts on the behavior of the covid-19 epidemic for the days to come were also presented.

The information was explained, as is customary, by Doctor of Science Raúl Guinovart Díaz, dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Computing at the University of Havana.

He referred that the reports of the disease in the country continue to decline in all provinces and in the coming weeks control of the disease should be maintained.

The prevention and control actions of the new coronavirus were also analyzed by Dr. Ileana Morales Suárez, director of Science and Technological Innovation of the Minsap, who offered an update on the Cuban Vaccination Strategy against COVID-19.

She explained that soon the country will add the application to our population of 42 million doses of national vaccines. Cuba, she explained, continues to lead, with 400 doses per hundred inhabitants, this process worldwide.

The covid-19 is not over, said Dr. Morales Suárez; however, she noted, only 67.9 percent of the world’s population has received at least one dose; however, in low-income countries, immunization has only reached 22.5 percent of their population.

Only seven countries, including Cuba, exceed 90 percent of the population fully vaccinated; at the same time, international booster doses are no more than 31 percent, she added.

He referred that the reports of the disease in the country continue to decline in all provinces and in the coming weeks control of the disease must be maintained.
The prevention and control actions of the new coronavirus were also analyzed by Dr. Ileana Morales Suárez, director of Science and Technological Innovation of the Minsap, who offered an update on the Cuban Vaccination Strategy against COVID-19.
She explained that soon the country will add the application to our population of 42 million doses of national vaccines. Cuba, she explained, continues to lead, with 400 doses per hundred inhabitants, this process worldwide.
The covid-19 is not over, said Dr. Morales Suárez; however, she noted, only 67.9 percent of the world’s population has received at least one dose; however, in low-income countries, immunization has only reached 22.5 percent of their population.
Only seven countries, including Cuba, exceed 90 percent of the population fully vaccinated; at the same time, international booster doses are no more than 31 percent, she added.
The Director of Science and Technological Innovation of the Minsap added that in our country 1,930,357 children and adolescents are fully immunized, 98.8 percent of the people in those ages who are vaccinable; and 1,459,392 have received booster doses.
This is something – pointed out Dr. Morales Suárez – that makes us proud, that speaks of the effort and dedication of those who work in our scientific centers and the health system.

(By: Rene Tamayo)

From August 14 to 20, week 33 of the year, transmission was opened in the provinces of Mayabeque (in the municipality of Güines), Cienfuegos (in Rodas) and Guantánamo (in Caimanera), it was reported at the meeting this Tuesday of the Group temporary work of the Government for the prevention and control of Covid-19.

In videoconference format with the political and government authorities of the 15 provinces and the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud, the exchange was led, from the Palace of the Revolution, by the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and President of the Republic , Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, and the member of the Political Bureau and Prime Minister, Manuel Marrero Cruz.

An analysis of the epidemiological situation of dengue and Aedes Aegypti at the end of week 33 was presented by Dr. Carilda Peña García, Deputy Minister of Public Health, who reported that 22,509 SUMA IgM samples were processed for dengue diagnosis, 933 more than in the previous week.

The studies showed 11,634 reactive cases, 251 more than week 32, but a positivity of 51.7 percent, somewhat lower than the previous period.

The highest positivity corresponded to the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud, as well as to the provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Havana, Las Tunas, Holguín, Camagüey and Guantánamo.

Regarding the levels of infestation of the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, Peña García explained that in week 33, compared to the same week of the previous year, the focus of the vector is higher by 49.5 percent, with 1,683 more foci. Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, Camagüey, Villa Clara, Matanzas and Las Tunas contribute 74.1 percent of the country’s focus.

Regarding the confrontation and control of COVID-19, it was learned that at the end of last week (August 20), transmission increased by 28.9 percent compared to July.

The highest levels of transmission in the current month occur in Holguín, Santiago de Cuba, Sancti Spíritus, Camagüey, Las Tunas, Havana and Guantánamo, where 71.9 percent of the cases diagnosed in the country during August are concentrated.

In week 33, one death from COVID-19 was reported, after 13 weeks without deaths in Cuba from this cause. The cumulative lethality from the start of the pandemic to August 20 was 0.77 percent (1,109,992 cases with 8,530 deaths).

The meeting of the Temporary Working Group of the Government for the prevention and control of the pandemic, also followed up on the first reported case of monkeypox in the country —which led to the death of the patient, an Italian tourist— and surveillance that is followed with those who had contact with him.

The meeting also paid attention to the strengthening of the distribution system of oxygen and other gases in the territories; and to the continuity of actions to support Cupet by other organizations in the distribution of fuels, as well as the implementation and control of compliance with the organizational measures for its commercialization.

The measures aimed at facing the current energy situation and reducing the effects on the water supply by different methods were addressed; as well as the control of compliance with the plan for programmed effects on the electrical service and the permanent updating of information for the population.

(By: Rene Tamayo)