Antibody response to Aedes aegypti D7L1 + 2 salivary proteins as marker of aggregate vector exposure and correlate of dengue virus susceptibility.

Summary: Mosquitoes spread dengue fever, making hundreds of millions of people sick every year. Since there are few treatments, stopping the mosquitoes is our best defense. Scientists wanted a way to measure how often a person gets bitten. They tested a blood test that looks for antibodies against mosquito spit (saliva). They found that the test works well for people living in areas with lots of mosquitoes, showing changes across seasons. Surprisingly, people with fewer of these "mosquito spit" antibodies in their blood actually had more dengue infections in their homes. This means mosquito spit antibodies might somehow relate to how easily someone catches dengue!