Oviposition attractants for sand fly control

 描述（由申请方提供）：白蛉传播原生动物寄生虫（利什曼原虫属），细菌（杆状巴尔通体）和病毒病原体。传统的向病媒递送杀虫剂的替代方法是使用引诱剂将病媒带到杀虫剂处。在控制媒介传播疾病的背景下，产卵引诱剂预期是高度有效的，因为它们靶向负责病原体传播和扩大媒介种群的妊娠雌性。分解有机物是白蛉幼虫的主要食物来源。我们正在进行的和拟议中的研究的核心是自然选择调整了怀孕女性的嗅觉系统的最佳产卵基质，表明合适的条件和营养的幼虫发育发出的气味的命题。因此，我们假设，妊娠白蛉的差异吸引剂量依赖性的方式混合粪便和微生物来源的化学线索与粪便材料的分解，以及从鸡蛋和幼虫的信号，表明合适的产卵地点。我们的总体目标是开发和优化一个有吸引力的混合化学信息素，将作为一个引诱产卵网站寻求沙蝇女性使用P. papatasi（旧世界皮肤利什曼病的载体）作为一个模型系统。本研究将应用行为学、电生理学和微生物学等多学科的综合研究方法，以实现以下具体目标：（1）确定最具吸引力和刺激产卵的同种阶段、饲养介质和寄生微生物：（2）从最具吸引力的同种阶段、饲养介质和微生物分离物中分离和鉴定产卵引诱剂和刺激剂;（3）研制一种最佳的产卵引诱剂和刺激剂的混合物，并在微观和中尺度上对其进行评价。该研究提出了几种新颖的和创新的方法，包括：（1）应用综合方法，包括行为，电生理，分析和微生物学研究;（2）研究产卵的一个被忽视的方面-腐殖真菌作为合适产卵场所的指示剂的作用;（3）使用风洞在米级评估优化混合物的有效性。这项研究的成功将为下一个项目奠定基础-这些混合物的实地测试-并最终有助于减轻白蛉传播病原体引起的发病率和死亡率。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Phlebotomine sand flies transmit protozoan parasites (Leishmania spp.), bacterial (Bartonella bacilliformis), and viral pathogens. An alternative approach to the traditional delivery of an insecticide to the vector is to bring the vector to the insecticide using an attractant. In the context of controlling vector-borne disease, oviposition-sie attractants are expected to be highly effective because they target gravid females that are responsible for transmission of the pathogen and amplifying vector populations. Decomposing organic matter is the main food source for sand fly larvae. Central to our ongoing and proposed research is the proposition that natural selection has tuned the olfactory system of gravid females to odorants emanating from optimal oviposition substrates that indicate suitable conditions and nutrients for larval development. We therefore hypothesize that gravid sand flies are differentially attracted in a dose-dependent manner to a blend of fecal- and microbially-derived chemical cues associated with the decomposition of fecal material, as well as to signals from eggs and larvae which indicate suitable oviposition sites. Our overall goal is to develop and optimize an attractive blend of semiochemicals that would function as a lure for oviposition-site seeking sand fly females using Ph. papatasi (vector of old-world cutaneous leishmaniasis) as a model system. We will apply an integrated interdisciplinary approach including behavioral, electrophysiological, and microbiological studies to address the following specific aims: (1) Identify the most attractive and oviposition stimulating conspecific stages, rearing medium, and saprophytic microbes; (2) Isolate and identify oviposition attractants and stimulants from the most attractive conspecific stage, rearing medium, and microbial isolates; and (3) Develop an optimal blend of oviposition attractants and stimulants and evaluate it at the micro- and meso-scales. This proposed study introduces several novel and innovative approaches including: (1) Application of an integrated approach including behavioral, electrophysiological, analytical and microbiological investigations; (2) Study a neglected aspect of oviposition - the role of saprophytic fungi as indicators of suitable oviposition sites; (3) Evaluate the effectiveness of th optimized blends at the scale of meters using a wind-tunnel. Success of this study will set the stage for the next project - a field test of these blends - and would eventually contribute to relieving morbidity and mortality due to sand fly transmitted pathogens.