title: Effect of Spatial Repellent Exposure on Dengue Vector Attraction to Oviposition Sites.
abstract: Aedes aegypti is a primary vector of dengue virus (DENV), the causative agent of dengue fever, an arthropod-borne disease of global importance. Although a vaccine has been recommended for prevention, current dengue prevention strategies rely on vector control. Recently, volatile pyrethroids-spatial repellents-have received interest as a novel delivery system for adult Ae. aegypti control. Understanding the full range of behavioral effects spatial repellents elicit in mosquito species will be critical to understanding the overall impact these products have on vector populations and will guide expectations of efficacy against DENV transmission.
  
  
  
  The current study quantified changes in attraction of gravid Ae. aegypti to experimental oviposition sites following exposure to the spatial repellent transfluthrin. Responses were measured with two-choice olfaction bioassays using 'sticky-screens' covering cups to prevent contact with the oviposition substrate. Two cups contained a bacterial attractant composed of four species of bacteria in calcium alginate beads in water and two cups contained only deionized water. Results from 40 replicates (n = 780 females total per treatment) indicated an estimated difference in attraction of 9.35% ± 0.18 (p ≤ 0.003), implying that the transfluthrin-exposed mosquitoes were more attracted to the experimental oviposition sites than the non-exposed mosquitoes.
  
  
  
  Findings from this study will further characterize the role of spatial repellents to modify Ae. aegypti behavior related to dengue prevention specifically, and encourage innovation in vector control product development more broadly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: Diane B
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7590-1992
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Grieco
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Charles S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Apperson
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Coby
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schal
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Loganathan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ponnusamy
authors.affiliation: Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: Dawn M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Wesson
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: Nicole L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Achee
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D003521:Cyclopropanes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003715:Dengue / Q000635:transmission*; D005260:Female; D005464:Fluorobenzenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007302:Insect Repellents; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000187:drug effects*; D010058:Oviposition / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D003521:Cyclopropanes; D005464:Fluorobenzenes; D007302:Insect Repellents; C560613:transfluthrin