| Title: | Trapping of the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae with odour-baited MM-X traps in semi-field conditions in western Kenya |
| Author(s): | Njiru BN; Mukabana WR; Takken W; Knols BG; |
| Address: | "International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Agency's Laboratories Seibersdorf, A2444 Seibersdorf, Austria. bnjiru@mbita.mimcom.net" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1475-2875 (Electronic) 1475-2875 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "BACKGROUND: The successful development of odour-baited trapping systems for mosquitoes depends on the identification of behaviourally active semiochemicals, besides the design and operating principles of such devices. A large variety of 'attractants' has been identified in laboratory investigations, yet few of these increase trap catches in the field. A contained system, intermediate between the laboratory and open field, is presented and previous reports that human foot odour induces behavioural responses of Anopheles gambiae confirmed. METHODS: The response of 3-5 day old female An. gambiae towards odour-baited counterflow geometry traps (MM-X model; American Biophysics Corp., RI) was studied in semi-field (screen house) conditions in western Kenya. Traps were baited with human foot odour (collected on socks), carbon dioxide (CO2, 500 ml min(-1)), ammonia (NH3), 1-octen-3-ol, or various combinations thereof. Trap catches were log (x+1) transformed and subjected to Latin square analysis of variance procedures. RESULTS: Apart from 1-octen-3-ol, all odour baits caused significant (P < 0.05) increases in trap catches over non-baited traps. Foot odour remained behaviourally active for at least 8 days after collection on nylon or cotton sock fabric. A synergistic response (P < 0.001) was observed towards the combination of foot odour and CO2, which increased catches of these odours alone by 3.8 and 2.7 times, respectively. CONCLUSION: These results are the first to report behavioural responses of an African malaria vector to human foot odour outside the laboratory, and further investigation of fractions and/or individual chemical components of this odour complex are called for. Semi-field systems offer the prospect of high-throughput screening of candidate kairomones, which may expedite the development of efficient trap-bait systems for this and other African mosquito species" |
| Keywords: | Ammonia Animals Anopheles/*physiology Carbon Dioxide Cotton Fiber Female Insect Vectors/*physiology Kenya Malaria/prevention & control Mosquito Control/*instrumentation/*methods/standards Nylons Octanols *Odorants *Pheromones; |
| Notes: | "MedlineNjiru, Basilio N Mukabana, Wolfgang R Takken, Willem Knols, Bart G J eng U19 AI045511/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ 1U19AI45511/AI/NIAID NIH HHS/ Comparative Study Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2006/05/17 Malar J. 2006 May 15; 5:39. doi: 10.1186/1475-2875-5-39" |
