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Science 27 September 1968:
Vol. 161. no. 3848, pp. 1346 - 1347
DOI: 10.1126/science.161.3848.1346
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Articles

L-Lactic Acid: A Mosquito Attractant Isolated from Humans

Fred Acree Jr. 1, R. B. Turner 1, H. K. Gouck 1, Morton Beroza 1, and Nelson Smith 1

1 Entomology Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, Gainesville, Florida 32601

L-Lactic acid was the major component in material isolated from humans that was active as an attractant for female yellow fever mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti (L.). The L(+)-isomer was several times as attractive as the D-isomer. Good correlation was found between the attractiveness of an individual to mosquitoes and the quantity of lactic acid present in an acetone washing of his hand.


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