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Brazil is one of the countries in the world that drinks the most beer in the world, with a consumption of about 70 liters per year per person. What is certain is that in summer, it takes more, because for many people, the hottest season of the year "asks" a cold. But you need to be careful. Some experts have warned that this drink, especially excessive, could increase the risk of infection with dengue, zika, chikungunya and malaria viruses.
Beer, especially if it is over-consumed, can increase the risk of infection with dengue, zika, chikungunya and malaria viruses
Carlos Brisola Marcondes, professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (MIP) of the Center for Biological Sciences (CCB) of the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), cites two studies, one of which conducted in Japan and the other in Burkina Faso, which revealed that beer consumption attracted more mosquitoes to the drinker.
In other words, the drink increases the number of blood-borne insect bites in the person who consumes it, and therefore the risk of contracting the disease.
In Japanese research, a dose of 350 ml of barley-based beer, for the attraction of Aedes albopictus close relative of Aedes aegypti . In Burkina Faso, the researchers gave the participants an uninformed amount of sorghum (4% alcohol), locally called dolphin, to check the results for the species transmitting malaria Anopheles gambiae .
"In both studies, there was a significant increase in the attraction of insects," says Marcondes. "In addition, in the second study, there was also the stimulation of the theft of mosquitoes.This effect was attributed to the dispersion of alcohol by the body with the presence of ethanol in sweat . "
According to him, in the study conducted in Japan the body temperature of the drinker varied according to his tolerance to alcohol.
"In Burkina Faso, however, it was observed that the reduction in body temperature and the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) exhaled (the latter not influenced by beer) did not have a significant effect on the body. 'attraction', reports Marcondes.
"The authors hypothesized that beer would produce more kiromones (volatile substances from drinkers), which would attract more mosquitoes."
What Attracts Mosquitoes
"Several substances attract mosquitoes, carbon dioxide and lactic acid most known (released in sweat), and there are certainly others naturally present in the body that repels them ", says the scientist
Photo: Getty Images / BBC News Brazil
This kiromonium and this alcohol are not the only substances that increase the number of bites. "Many attract mosquitoes, the best known being carbon dioxide and lactic acid (released by sweat), and there are certainly others that occur naturally in the body and repel them" explains Marcondes.
"For some species, children are more attractive than adults and blacks more than whites, but it is the other way around for others." This is an area of great importance that needs to be explored by more scientific research. "
The medical officer of health Rodolpho Telarolli Júnior, of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the Araraquara Campus, São Paulo State University (Unesp), gives other examples.
" Some studies show (but this is not unanimous) that mosquitoes are attracted to individuals whose breathing contains more carbon dioxide, as is the case of those who have just exercised and whose the metabolism is the fastest, "explains" The same would apply to pregnant women who have a similar condition throughout pregnancy, as well as to overweight or obese people. "
The mosquito Aedis aegypti, a dengue transmitter
According to him, bloodsucking insects would attract more people and areas of the human body to higher temperatures. "This is the case of febrile people, such as people with communicable diseases, such as dengue, for example," says Telarolli.
According to him, for reasons that are still unknown, some studies have shown that some species prefer to chop blood type O to the detriment of those of other types (A, B and AB). "Other research has shown that wearing dark clothing is a factor likely to further attract mosquitoes," says Telarolli.
"Then, in areas heavily infested with these insects, it is prudent to wear light clothing and type O blood carriers should be extra care."
It can be concluded, according to Marcondes, that exhaled skin and air exhale substances that influence the preference of mosquitoes, differentiate individuals and make insects have a preference for children, different from that which They have for adults.
"There are also variations between races," he says. "But the chemical ecology of their attraction is a difficult subject and still poorly understood.Hematophagy (inversion of the blood) of these animals depends on complex factors involving the sense of smell and vision, the latter mainly in diurnal species such as the tsetse fly. "
How to protect yourself from mosquito bites
For him, studies should be done with other beverages, in addition to beer, to check if it's alcohol that affects mosquitoes or something characteristic. "It would also be very important to develop tests in Brazil with insects belonging to different groups, such as flaccids, sandflies (leishmaniasis flies), maruins and drinks consumed nationally, such as cachaça", a- he declared.
"With little work on the subject, it is an open area for research, which is of great health importance."
Another factor not studied to increase the number of bites is the probable reduction of the bites defense capacity of people who have drunk too much. "Drunk skin has no owner," jokes Marcondes. "Therefore, beware of drinking, especially in large quantities, as this may increase the risk of infection with malaria, dengue fever and other mosquito-borne diseases."
Hence the importance of new studies. Especially when we know that one of the main determinants of the transmission of diseases of insecticide origin is the frequency of bites. "Thus, the factors that influence their quantity are of epidemiological importance," says Marcondes.
"Thus, for example, malaria control is more effective if it targets mainly mosquito-preferred individuals, and pregnant women are among those most attracted to them"
. Some simple measures help protect insect bites. "Avoiding places where mosquitoes circulate, such as areas near rivers, gardens or other areas infested with insects, is one of them," says Telarolli.
"Do not wear dark clothing when it is necessary to go to these places, use repellents, which should be applied to clothing and not directly to the skin, keep the house with screens when you live in infested areas, and when you have ingested beverages Other measures must be taken, especially in the case of pregnant or alcoholic pregnant women. "
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