Doctors have explained why some people react worse to insect bites than others.
Anne Larchy, 52, from the North Londonis one of the cats that reacts so badly to bites that her hands and feet grow almost twice as large as normal.
She was admitted to hospital 25 years ago while on holiday Israel after being bitten 15 times.
Anne missed having a volunteer at London 2012 Olympic Games because she could no longer put on her shoe or stand due to a bite in her foot.
She told MailPlus: 'Every summer I get at least one infected bite, often on my foot, ankle, hand or arms, probably because these are the most exposed.
'I usually get bitten in the park or on the golf course.
'I put on a strong insect repellent to stop it happening and my arms and legs are completely covered, but they still bite me. I know it could have been worse if I didn't.'
James Logan, professor of medical entomology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, explains: 'Over time, your body can become immune and not respond much.
'Some people get bitten more often than others, which may have something to do with our sense of smell.
'People who are not bitten often produce natural antibodies through their body odor that act as their own natural defense system.
'These chemicals (aldehydes and ketones) are thought to be due to genetic and environmental factors, as well as the types of bacteria that live on our skin and cause no harm.
'Some of these chemicals are released through sweat and can also be eaten by the bacteria on the skin, which in turn produce more of these chemicals. In theory, this would make the chance of bites even smaller.'
A study led by Professor Logan has found that mosquitoes are more likely to bite men who are tall and women with a higher Body Mass Index (BMI).
“We don't really know why. It could be that there are more of them to bite, or that their bodies are producing more attractants, like carbon dioxide, in their breath,” he added.
Taller people have larger chests and lungs, allowing them to take in more oxygen and exhale more carbon dioxide.
Other research has shown that people with blood type O are most attractive to mosquitoes that “detect” this bloody blood type. However, it is not clear why they do this.
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