[Skin flora, odor and malaria transmission].

Malaria, which is transmitted primarily by bites of female Anopheles mosquitoes, is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that poses a serious threat to human health. Host body odor is a key factor to attract Anopheles mosquitoes. Upon Plasmodium infection, host body odors change, leading to increased attractiveness to female Anopheles mosquitoes; however, the underlying mechanisms remain clear. A recent study reported remarkable changes of skin flora and volatile substances in mice following Plasmodium infections, and ethylbenzene was found to increase host attractiveness to mosquitoes, which provides new insights into development of novel malaria control strategies.