title: Sindbis virus infection alters blood feeding responses and DEET repellency in Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae).
abstract: Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae) female mosquitoes infected systemically with Sindbis virus (SINV) took longer than uninfected mosquitoes to locate and fully engorge on blood. On days 7 and 14 postexposure, blood feeding took 1.3 and 1.5 times longer in mosquitoes with a disseminated SINV infection, respectively. SINV dissemination did not affect the average weight of unfed Ae. aegypti, but did result in a 10 and 12% increase in blood imbibed compared with mosquitoes without a positive SINV dissemination and non-SINV-exposed mosquitoes, respectively. Ae. aegypti mosquitoes with a disseminated SINV infection fed an average of 4 h sooner than uninfected mosquitoes when offered a bloodmeal contained inside a DEET (N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide) saturated (30%) bovine sausage casing. Together, these results indicate that behavioral changes in mosquito host-seeking, blood feeding and sensitivity to DEET occurred in mosquitoes after SINV infection and dissemination.
authors.affiliation: Anastasia Mosquito Control District, 500 Old Beach Road, 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; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D007302:Insect Repellents; D012845:Sindbis Virus / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D007302:Insect Repellents; D003671:DEET