Introduction We live in a world split between mosquito magnets and those lucky enough to remain (nearly) untouched. The reasons why some people attract more mosquito bites than others remain largely mysterious. In the Mosquito Magnet Trial, we investigated differences in mosquito attraction amongst festivalgoers with varying levels of hygiene and intoxication. Methods Our study was conducted in a slightly steamy pop-up laboratory inside four connected shipping containers at Lowlands Festival in The Netherlands (August 18-20, 2023). Participants completed an anonymous questionnaire on hygiene, diet, and festival-related behaviour (including alcohol uptake and shared sleeping arrangements). Mosquito attraction was measured using a custom designed setup: a transparent cage with perforations where female Anopheles mosquitoes were offered a choice between a sugar-feeder and the participants arm. Mosquitoes could only smell, not bite, the participant's arm. Attraction was quantified through video imaging, measuring arm landings relative to total landings. Mosquito attraction was correlated with questionnaire responses and skin microbiota profiles collected from forearm skin swabs. Results Amongst the 465 included participants, mosquitoes showed a clear fondness for those who drank beer over those who abstained from the liquid gold (Fold Change 1.35, 95% CI 1.12-1.63, PFDR

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Once thought to have evolved inside the Tube network, a tunnel-dwelling mosquito might actually have emerged thousands of years ago in Egypt.

Understanding the temporal dynamics of mosquito behavior is essential for developing effective interventions against pathogen transmission. However, limited knowledge exists about the environmental, p...