VECOLure: Novel Aggregation Pheromone Bed Bug Lure

常见的臭虫Cimex lectularius是一种以人类为食的小型吸血昆虫。臭虫不会飞也不会跳，但他们是熟练的搭便车者，通过隐藏在你的行李中传播，直到你到达目的地。在这里，苹果种子大小的害虫找到了一个新的藏身之处，直到它们饿了。它们的叮咬会引起从轻微刺激到严重过敏反应的各种反应，感染会导致极端的心理社会压力。它们是一种对公共卫生具有重大意义的害虫，也是一个重大的全球经济问题，广泛侵扰家庭、医院和宿舍，并通过感染酒店、电影院和交通工具来破坏酒店业。臭虫防治仍然是全球害虫管理行业中最有利可图、增长最快的市场之一，尤其是在臭虫问题根深蒂固的美国。据报道，在加拿大、澳大利亚和英国的一系列房产中，臭虫的数量也在迅速增加。检测到少量的臭虫是有问题的；它们只在晚上活动，往往藏匿在裂缝和缝隙中，并且可以长时间不取食。目前有几种检测臭虫的方法和监测设备，但还没有成熟的产品能够快速检测出低水平的感染。伦敦卫生与热带医学院发现了一种新的臭虫聚集信息素，它具有强大的诱惑力。Vecotech Limited有可能将其开发成有效的商业产品，Vecotech Limited已经获得了这样做的权利。Vecotech Limited是一家衍生公司，成立的目的是利用学校在监测和控制各种医学上重要昆虫的新方法方面的专业知识。该项目的目标是开发一种有效的测试原型，用于专门针对臭虫的诱捕器，能够在1至3天内检测到早期感染，通常包括5只昆虫。诱饵的成分便宜且容易获得，使威科泰克能够开发出有效、敏感、持久、安全、负担得起和离散的产品。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，Vecotech原型的成功开发将使Vecotech迅速获得重要的市场渗透和销售，并使Kindle开发和商业化其他虫害检测、预防和控制方面的进步。

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.