# Does an active case of dengue make you more delicious to mosquito species that transmit dengue? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 27, 2015, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-an-active-case-of-dengue-make-you-more-delicious-to-mosquito-species-that-transmit-dengue/716090 "2015-03-27T06:46:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-an-active-case-of-dengue-make-you-more-delicious-to-mosquito-species-that-transmit-dengue/716090/1 "2015-03-27T06:46:46Z")
I’m down with a case of dengue and have noticed that I’m surrounded by mosquitoes all day (which is when dengue carriers like to bite). I’m slathering on repellent, as I don’t want to further the spread of dengue by getting bitten while I’m sick. However, I have never before been swarmed by mosquitoes as much as I am right now. I’m sure that from the dengue virus’s perspective, it would be great if dengue victims gave off “come hither and bite me! bite me!” scents. Has anyone researched this? It is quite a striking contrast. While mosquitoes always have loved me, I’ve not had a problem with being swarmed during the day until I got sick. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-an-active-case-of-dengue-make-you-more-delicious-to-mosquito-species-that-transmit-dengue/716090/2 "2015-03-27T08:22:15Z")
Interesting observation. I have no idea what the answer is, but it makes perfect sense from an evolutionary perspective. ETA:"I’m down with a case of dengue. Damn! And get well soon. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-an-active-case-of-dengue-make-you-more-delicious-to-mosquito-species-that-transmit-dengue/716090/3 "2015-03-27T09:41:53Z")
That can be very nasty. > **[Dengue fever](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dengue_fever)** > > Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus. Symptoms typically begin three to fourteen days after infection. These may include a high fever, headache, vomiting, muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic skin itching and skin rash. Recovery generally takes two to seven days. In a small proportion of cases, the disease develops into a more severe dengue hemorrhagic fever, resulting in bleeding, low levels of blood platelets and blood plasma leakag Dengue is s... Are you under medical care? ETA: I agree with **Blake** that your hypothesis makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![jezzaOZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9a28c/32.png) [@jezzaOZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jezzaOZ)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-an-active-case-of-dengue-make-you-more-delicious-to-mosquito-species-that-transmit-dengue/716090/4 "2015-03-27T09:42:33Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > I’m down with a case of dengue and have noticed that I’m surrounded by mosquitoes all day (which is when dengue carriers like to bite). I’m slathering on repellent, as I don’t want to further the spread of dengue by getting bitten while I’m sick. Forget DEET. Get Piperidine in tropical strength. It’s sometimes called Picaradin and one Brand is ‘Off’ by SC Johnson. It’s far less harmful than DEET which is neurotoxic. It doesn’t dissolve plastic and works at least as well as DEET. You should also consider soaking your clothing in Permethrin - and any mosquito nets but that’s for night use. You can either go the expensive way and buy ‘proper’ Permethrin, or you can get some brands of ant/termite killer with Permethrin in them that work just as well. It lasts quite a few washes and doesn’t affect the skin and kills those mozzies big-time. I’ve used this regime in Northern Thailand in Myanmar border jungle areas and never had any problems - nor my kids either. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-an-active-case-of-dengue-make-you-more-delicious-to-mosquito-species-that-transmit-dengue/716090/5 "2015-03-27T09:46:38Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Are you under medical care? Yes, being monitored daily. I’m in Jakarta, Indonesia - sometimes medical care here is not the greatest but they see dengue all the time so are pretty good at dealing with it. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2015, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-an-active-case-of-dengue-make-you-more-delicious-to-mosquito-species-that-transmit-dengue/716090/6 "2015-03-27T13:14:18Z")
Good timing. I just saw a paper described [here](http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2015/03/24/lemon-scented-malaria/) that found that malaria parasites create scent molecules that mosquitos are attracted to. It’s not yet shown that there is a real effect on attracting mosquitos, but makes it plausible, for malaria at least. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2015, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-an-active-case-of-dengue-make-you-more-delicious-to-mosquito-species-that-transmit-dengue/716090/7 "2015-03-28T02:48:06Z")
For those not aware, there is no medical care available for dengue. Unless it progresses to DHF there is nothing to be done except bed rest and the usual. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2015, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-an-active-case-of-dengue-make-you-more-delicious-to-mosquito-species-that-transmit-dengue/716090/8 "2015-03-28T09:35:18Z")
I had dengue in northern Thailand in 1989 but did not notice seeming to be more delicious to mosquitoes. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2015, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-an-active-case-of-dengue-make-you-more-delicious-to-mosquito-species-that-transmit-dengue/716090/9 "2015-03-28T09:44:03Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > I had dengue in northern Thailand in 1989 but did not notice seeming to be more delicious to mosquitoes. Forgot to add: Dengue sucks! And I hope you’re getting better. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2015, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-an-active-case-of-dengue-make-you-more-delicious-to-mosquito-species-that-transmit-dengue/716090/10 "2015-03-30T08:49:33Z")
> [@grude](#): > > For those not aware, there is no medical care available for dengue. Unless it progresses to DHF there is nothing to be done except bed rest and the usual. There is no cure or specific treatment - but being put on an IV is fairly common if your blood counts start to get too low. Having gotten to that point and then getting an IV, I can attest that it helped a lot.