Abstract
BackgroundAedes aegypti is a primary vector of dengue virus (DENV), the causative agent of dengue fever, an arthropod-borne disease of global importance. Although a vaccine has been recommended for prevention, current dengue prevention strategies rely on vector control. Recently, volatile pyrethroids—spatial repellents—have received interest as a novel delivery system for adult Ae. aegypti control. Understanding the full range of behavioral effects spatial repellents elicit in mosquito species will be critical to understanding the overall impact these products have on vector populations and will guide expectations of efficacy against DENV transmission.Methodology/Principal FindingsThe current study quantified changes in attraction of gravid Ae. aegypti to experimental oviposition sites following exposure to the spatial repellent transfluthrin. Responses were measured with two-choice olfaction bioassays using ‘sticky-screens’ covering cups to prevent contact with the oviposition substrate. Two cups contained a bacterial attractant composed of four species of bacteria in calcium alginate beads in water and two cups contained only deionized water. Results from 40 replicates (n = 780 females total per treatment) indicated an estimated difference in attraction of 9.35% ± 0.18 (p ≤ 0.003), implying that the transfluthrin-exposed mosquitoes were more attracted to the experimental oviposition sites than the non-exposed mosquitoes.Conclusions/SignificanceFindings from this study will further characterize the role of spatial repellents to modify Ae. aegypti behavior related to dengue prevention specifically, and encourage innovation in vector control product development more broadly.
Highlights
Dengue virus (DENV) is the causative agent of dengue, an arthropod-borne disease of global burden endemic in over 100 countries where an estimated 2.5 billion people live [1]
As the incidence of dengue continues to expand, there is need for improved and/or novel strategies for vector control. This includes the use of spatial repellent products that contain volatile chemicals at ambient temperatures. When these chemicals are applied at low concentrations, they can serve to ‘repel’ rather than ‘kill.’ This study aimed to understand the effects of a spatial repellent, transfluthrin, on Aedes aegypti attraction to experimental oviposition sites in an effort to further understand how spatial repellents may impact vector populations
No knock-down (KD) or mortality was observed in cohorts placed in the High-Throughput Screening System (HITSS) assay containing the same transfluthrin nettings
Summary
Dengue virus (DENV) is the causative agent of dengue, an arthropod-borne disease of global burden endemic in over 100 countries where an estimated 2.5 billion people live [1]. The World Health Organization recently recommended the use of the CYD-TDV dengue vaccine [2, 3], currently there is no preventative therapy or curative treatment for dengue fever; mitigation of symptoms is supportive and prevention relies greatly on vector control, much like many other arthropod-borne diseases [1, 4]. There are multiple vector control strategies recommended by the World Health Organization for both immature and adult Aedes aegypti life stages [1]. These include biological agents and synthetic chemicals that are used to treat mosquito production sites as well as the interior and exterior areas of houses [1]. Aedes aegypti is a primary vector of dengue virus (DENV), the causative agent of dengue fever, an arthropod-borne disease of global importance. Understanding the full range of behavioral effects spatial repellents elicit in mosquito species will be critical to understanding the overall impact these products have on vector populations and will guide expectations of efficacy against DENV transmission.
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