Is It True That Blood Type O Is More Attractive to Mosquitoes?
The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) recorded a total of 39,672 cases of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DBD) in Indonesia with 105 deaths up to May 2026. West Java was the region with the highest number of cases, exceeding 9,000 with 36 deaths. Speaking about mosquitoes, many myths still circulate and are believed by the public. One of the most popular is the assumption that mosquitoes prefer people with blood type O.
Professor Upik Kesumawati, from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at IPB University, stated that this assumption has a scientific basis, although it does not mean other blood types are free from mosquito bites. Prof Upik cited a 2004 study in Japan which found that mosquitoes more frequently sucked blood from individuals with blood type O compared to other blood types.
“People with blood type O have more volatile compounds than people with blood type A. For example, they produce more lactic acid or carbon dioxide (CO2), making them easier for mosquitoes to detect,” she said in a written statement late last week. However, she stressed that everyone still has the potential to be bitten by mosquitoes. Anyone can have their blood sucked, it is just that there is a tendency for blood type O to be preferred.
Prof Upik also corrected the myth that blood is the main food for mosquitoes. She explained that blood is actually needed by female mosquitoes for the reproduction process and egg maturation. “The blood sucked by mosquitoes is needed for reproduction, not as their main food,” she said. She noted that not all mosquitoes suck blood. Only female mosquitoes require blood to lay eggs, while male mosquitoes obtain energy from plant fluids and flower nectar. Besides blood type, clothing colour also influences mosquito attraction. According to Prof Upik, dark-coloured clothing tends to absorb heat, making the body warmer and more attractive to mosquitoes. “Mosquitoes like warm and humid conditions. Therefore, people wearing dark clothes are more frequently approached by mosquitoes,” she said.