Malaria Altering Host Attractiveness and Mosquito Feeding.

Several studies have suggested that malaria parasites stack the odds of transmission in their favour by manipulating the attraction profiles of their hosts. A recent study provides evidence that a specific parasite factor, (E)-4-hydroxy-3-methyl-but-2-enyl pyrophosphate, may increase both the attractiveness of infected vertebrates and the susceptibility of mosquitoes to infection.