VECOLure: Novel Aggregation Pheromone Bed Bug Lure

VECOLure：新型聚合信息素臭虫诱饵

• 批准号: 104404
• 金额: $ 28.04万
• 依托单位: ARCTECH INNOVATION LIMITED
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Collaborative R&D
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2018 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=104404
• 关键词: VECOLure; Novel; Aggregation; Pheromone; Bed

The common bed bug, _Cimex lectularius_, is a small, blood-sucking insect that feeds on humans. Bed bugs can't fly or jump, but they are skilled hitchhikers that spread by hiding in your belongings until you get to your destination. Here, the apple pip-sized pests find a new hiding spot until they get hungry. Their bites cause reactions ranging from minor irritation to severe allergic hypersensitivity and infestations can cause extreme psychosocial stress. They are a pest of significant public health importance and a major global economic problem, widely infesting homes, hospitals and dormitories and damaging the hospitality industry through infestation of hotels, cinemas and transport.Bed bug control remains one of the most lucrative and growing markets in the pest management industry globally, being particularly strong in the US, where the bed bug problem is well established. Bed bug numbers are also reported to be increasing rapidly in Canada, Australia and UK in a range of properties.Detection of small numbers of bed bugs is problematic; they are active only at night, tend to harbour in cracks and crevices, and can go without feeding for long periods of time. There are a few bed bug detection methods and monitoring devices available, but there are no established products with proven reliability and efficacy for detecting low level infestations quickly.The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has identified a new bed bug aggregation pheromone, which acts as a powerful lure. There is potential to develop this into an effective commercial product and the rights to do this have been secured by Vecotech Limited, a spin-out company founded to capitalise on the School's expertise in novel methods for surveillance and control of a wide range of medically important insects.The objective of this project is to develop an effective test prototype of this powerful lure, to be used in a bed bug-specific trap, capable of detecting early stage infestations, typically comprising <5 bugs within a 1 to 3-day period. The components of the lure are inexpensive and readily available, enabling Vecotech to develop a product that is effective, sensitive, long lasting, safe, affordable and discrete. There are currently no products available that match these requirements.A successful development of a prototype, underpinned by robust IP protection, will see Vecotech quickly secure significant market penetration and sales, and kindle development and commercialisation of other advances to pest detection, prevention and control.

常见的臭虫，Cimex lectularius，是一种以人类为食的小型吸血昆虫。臭虫不能飞也不能跳，但它们是熟练的搭便车者，通过隐藏在你的物品中传播，直到你到达目的地。在这里，苹果皮大小的害虫找到了一个新的藏身之处，直到它们饿了。它们的叮咬引起的反应从轻微的刺激到严重的过敏性超敏反应，感染会导致极端的心理压力。臭虫是一种对公众健康具有重要意义的害虫，也是一个重大的全球经济问题，广泛地侵扰家庭、医院和宿舍，并通过侵扰酒店、电影院和交通工具破坏酒店业。臭虫控制仍然是全球害虫管理行业中最有利可图和增长最快的市场之一，在臭虫问题已经根深蒂固的美国尤其强劲。据报道，在加拿大、澳大利亚和英国的一系列房产中，臭虫数量也在迅速增加。检测少量臭虫是有问题的;它们只在夜间活动，往往栖息在裂缝和缝隙中，并且可以长时间不喂食。有一些臭虫检测方法和监测设备可用，但没有成熟的产品具有可靠性和有效性，用于快速检测低水平的侵扰。伦敦卫生与热带医学学院已经确定了一种新的臭虫聚集信息素，它可以作为一个强大的诱饵。Vecotech Limited是一家分拆出来的公司，成立的目的是利用学校在监测和控制各种医学重要昆虫的新方法方面的专业知识。该项目的目标是开发这种强大诱饵的有效测试原型，用于专门的臭虫陷阱，能够检测早期感染，通常在1至3天内包括<5个臭虫。诱饵的组成部分是廉价和容易获得的，使维科泰克开发的产品是有效的，敏感的，持久的，安全的，负担得起的和离散的。目前还没有符合这些要求的产品。在强大的知识产权保护的支持下，原型的成功开发将使维科泰克迅速获得重大的市场渗透和销售，并点燃害虫检测、预防和控制的其他进步的开发和商业化。