Linalool oxide: generalist plant based lure for mosquito disease vectors

Host plant forensics and olfactory-based detection in Afro-tropical mosquito disease vectors

The global spread of vector-borne diseases remains a worrying public health threat, raising the need for development of new combat strategies for vector control. Knowledge of vector ecology can be exploited in this regard, including plant feeding; a critical resource that mosquitoes of both sexes rely on for survival and other metabolic processes. However, the identity of plant species mosquito...

Development and Assessment of Plant-Based Synthetic Odor Baits for Surveillance and Control of Malaria Vectors

BACKGROUND Recent malaria vector control measures have considerably reduced indoor biting mosquito populations. However, reducing the outdoor biting populations remains a challenge because of the unavailability of appropriate lures to achieve this. This study sought to test the efficacy of plant-based synthetic odor baits in trapping outdoor populations of malaria vectors. METHODOLOGY AND PRI...

Transfected Mosquito Vectors

Identification of Wolbachia Strains in Mosquito Disease Vectors

Wolbachia bacteria are common endosymbionts of insects, and some strains are known to protect their hosts against RNA viruses and other parasites. This has led to the suggestion that releasing Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes could prevent the transmission of arboviruses and other human parasites. We have identified Wolbachia in Kenyan populations of the yellow fever vector Aedes bromeliae and its...

Improvised microinjection technique for mosquito vectors

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Bio-manipulation technique is of primary importance during the development of transgenic mosquitoes. The study describes the variable factors that influence the viability of medically important mosquito vectors during microinjection. METHODS Three mosquito vectors belonging to the genus Aedes, Anopheles and Culex were microinjected at different developmental stages of ...