01175nas a2200169   4500000000100000008004100001260001600042653002400058653001700082100002000099700001600119700001300135700001600148245007000164520075700234022001400991       2021                            d  bElsevier BV10aInfectious Diseases10aParasitology1 aLucas-Barbosa D1 aDeGennaro M1 aMathis A1 aVerhulst NO00aSkin bacterial volatiles: propelling the future of vector control3 aThe skin microbiota plays an essential role in the protection against pathogens. It is our skin microbiota that makes us smell different from each other, rendering us more or less attractive to mosquitoes. Mosquitoes exploit skin bacterial odours to locate their hosts and are vectors of pathogens that can cause severe diseases such as malaria and dengue fever. A novel solution for long-lasting protection against insect vectors of disease could be attained by manipulating the bacterial commensals on human skin. The current options for protection against biting insects usually require topical application of repellents that evaporate within hours. We discuss possible routes for the use of commensal bacteria to create a microbial-based repellent.  a1471-4922