title: Altered response to DEET repellent after infection of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) with Sindbis virus.
abstract: To determine whether a Sindbis virus (family Togaviridae, genus Alphavirus, SINV) infection in Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae) affected its response to the repellent DEET, we orally exposed Ae. aegypti to an artificial bloodmeal containing SINV or diluent and then allowed to feed on a 10% sucrose suspension containing 3% DEET. When tested seven or more days after the initial bloodmeal, although none of the diluent-exposed mosquitoes fed on the DEET-sucrose suspension, at least 60% of the SINV-exposed mosquitoes fed on the suspension. When legs from the SINV-exposed mosquitoes were tested to determine dissemination status, 89% of those that fed on the DEET-sucrose suspension contained virus. In contrast, only 34% of the nonfeeders had a disseminated infection. When offered a choice between sucrose with or without DEET, a significantly higher percentage of the SINV-exposed mosquitoes than the control mosquitoes fed on the sucrose containing 3% DEET. Together, these results indicate that mosquitoes with a disseminated SINV infection may be less responsive to DEET than uninfected mosquitoes. Therefore, repellent use may be less effective in deterring infected mosquitoes from biting than previously believed.
authors.affiliation: Anastasia Mosquito Control District, 500 Old Beach Rd., St. Augustine, FL 32080, USA.
authors.forename: Whitney A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Qualls
authors.forename: Jonathan F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: Rui-De
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Doria F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Bowers
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000821:virology*; D000818:Animals; D003671:DEET; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D007302:Insect Repellents; D012845:Sindbis Virus
chemical_list: D007302:Insect Repellents; D003671:DEET