The Zika virus manipulates human skin cells to increase the release of mosquito-attracting odors, making infected individuals more likely to be bitten, according to a new study published in Communications Biology.

Researchers from Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine found that the virus alters gene and protein activity in dermal fibroblasts, changing their metabolism to produce higher levels of the compounds that attract mosquitoes.

This improves the chances of the virus spreading. The research highlights how Zika has evolved to boost its own transmission and suggests that controlling these changes could be a potential strategy for limiting its spread.