Genes and Odors Underlying the Recent Evolution of Mosquito Preference for Humans. Author Carolyn McBride Publication Year 2016 Type Journal Article Abstract Mosquito species that specialize in biting humans are few but dangerous. They include the African malaria vectors Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles coluzzii, as well as Aedes aegypti, the cosmopolitan vector of dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever. These mosquitoes have evolved a remarkable innate preference for human odor that helps them find and bite us. Here I review what is known about this important evolutionary adaptation, from its historical documentation to its chemical and molecular basis. Keywords Animals, Humans, Biological Evolution, Species Specificity, Evolution, Molecular, Insect Vectors, Odorants, Culicidae, Insect Bites and Stings, Olfactory Perception Journal Curr Biol Volume 26 Issue 1 Pages R41-6 Date Published 2016 Jan 11 ISSN Number 1879-0445 DOI 10.1016/j.cub.2015.11.032 Alternate Journal Curr Biol PMCID PMC4714039 PMID 26766234 PubMedPubMed CentralGoogle ScholarBibTeXEndNote X3 XML