A wind tunnel bioassay system for screening mosquito repellents.
A wind tunnel bioassay system to screen mosquito repellents is described. A wind tunnel is utilized to exploit the upwind flight response of host-seeking mosquitoes. Mosquitoes within the wind tunnel are activated with human breath, fly upwind, and land on heated chick skins. This behavioral sequence results in a consistently high percentage of the test population approaching repellent or control stimuli. The bioassay system is calibrated with diethyl methylbenzamide against Aedes aegypti and demonstrates a reproducible dose-response relationship. The persistence of diethyl methyl benzamide after a 1-h period is also recorded. The design of the bioassay system permits simultaneous, independent testing of 3 candidate repellents. The wind tunnel bioassay system is compared to other techniques for evaluating mosquito repellents.
Sharpington
P J
PJ
Department of Biological Sciences, Wye College, University of London, Ashford, Kent, United Kingdom.
Healy
T P
TP
Copland
M J
MJ
D000330:Aedes; D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D002645:Chickens; D009033:Culicidae; D003671:DEET; D006801:Humans; D007302:Insect Repellents / Q000592:standards*; D012867:Skin; D014919:Wind
D007302:Insect Repellents; D003671:DEET