Behavioral Response of Aedes aegypti Mosquito towards Essential Oils Using Olfactometer.
BACKGROUND
Aedes aegypti mosquito is responsible for transmitting human diseases like dengue and chikungunya. Personal or space protection with insect repellents is a practical approach to reducing human mosquito contact, thereby minimizing disease transmission. Essential oils are natural volatile substances from plants used as protective measure against blood-sucking mosquitoes.


METHODS
Twenty-three essential oils were evaluated for their repellent effect against Ae. aegypti female mosquito in laboratory conditions using Y-tube olfactometer.


RESULTS
The essential oils exhibited varying degree of repellency. Litsea oil showed 50.31%, 60.2 %, and 77.26% effective mean repellency at 1 ppm, 10 ppm and 100 ppm respectively, while DEET exhibited 59.63%, 68.63%, 85.48% and DEPA showed 57.97%, 65.43%, and 80.62% repellency at respective above concentrations. Statistical analysis revealed that among the tested essential oils, litsea oil had effective repellency in comparison with DEET and DEPA against Ae. aegypti mosquito at all concentration. Essential oils, DEET and DEPA showed significant repellence against Ae. aegypti (P< 0.05) at all 3 concentration tested.


CONCLUSIONS
Litsea oil exhibited effective percentage repellency similar to DEET and DEPA. The essential oils are natural plant products that may be useful for developing safer and newer herbal based effective mosquito repellents.
Vector Management Division, Defence R and D Establishment Jhansi Road, Gwalior, India.
Ashish
A
Uniyal
Vector Management Division, Defence R and D Establishment Jhansi Road, Gwalior, India.
Sachin N
SN
Tikar
Vector Management Division, Defence R and D Establishment Jhansi Road, Gwalior, India.
Murlidhar J
MJ
Mendki
Vector Management Division, Defence R and D Establishment Jhansi Road, Gwalior, India.
Ram
R
Singh
Fragrance and Flavour Development Center, G. T. Road, Makrand Nagar, Kannuaj, India.
Shakti V
SV
Shukla
School of Studies in Zoology, Jiwaji University, Gwalior, India.
Om P
OP
Agrawal
Vector Management Division, Defence R and D Establishment Jhansi Road, Gwalior, India.
Vijay
V
Veer
Vector Management Division, Defence R and D Establishment Jhansi Road, Gwalior, India.
Devanathan
D
Sukumaran
Aedes aegypti; Essential oils; Flight orientation; Repellent; Y-Maze olfactometer