Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) Biting Deterrence: Structure-Activity Relationship of Saturated and Unsaturated Fatty Acids

Abstract

In this study we evaluated the biting deterrent effects of a series of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids against Aedes aegypti (L), yellow fever mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) using the K &D bioassay module system. Saturated(C6:0 to C16:0 and C18:0) and unsaturated fatty acids(C11:1 to C14:1, C16:1, C18:1, and C18:2) showed biting deterrence index (BDI) values significantly greater than ethanol, the negative control. Among the saturated fatty acids, mid chain length acids (C10:0 to C13:0) showed higher biting deterrence than short (C6:0 to C9:0) and long chain length acids (C14:0 to C18:0) except for C8:0 and C16:0 that were more active than the other short and long chain acids. The BDI values of mid chain length acids (C10:0 to C13:0) were not significantly less than N, N-diethyl-metatoluamide (DEET), the positive control. Among the unsaturated fatty acids, C11:1 showed the highest activity (BDI 1.05) and C18:2 had the lowest activity (BDI 0.7). InC11:1, C12:1, and C14:1 BDI values were not significantly less than DEET. After the preliminary observations, residual activity bioassays were performed on C11:0, C12:0, C11:1, and C12:1 over a 24-h period. All the fatty acids (C11:0, C12:0, C11:1 and C12:1) and DEET showed significantly higher activity at all test intervals than the solvent control. At treatment and 1-h posttreatment, all fatty acids showed proportion not biting (PNB) values not significantly less than DEET. At 3-, 6-, and 12-h posttreatment, all fatty acids showed PNB values significantly greater than DEET. At 24-h posttreatment, only the PNB value for C12:0 was significantly higher than DEET. The dose-responses of C12:0 and DEET were determined at concentrations of 5-25 nmol cm. As in the residual activity bioassays, the PNB values for C12:0 and DEET at 25 nmol cm were not significantly different. However, at lower concentrations, the PNB values for C12:0 were significantly greater than DEET.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 01, 2012
Accession Number
ADA569802

Entities

People

  • Abbas Ali
  • Charles L. Cantrell
  • Ikhlas Khan
  • John C. Schneider
  • Natasha M Agramonte
  • Stephen O Duke
  • Ulrich R. Bernier

Organizations

  • Agricultural Research Service

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agriculture
  • Assays
  • Bioassay
  • Biochemistry
  • Chemical Synthesis
  • Chemistry
  • Deterrence
  • Entomology
  • Fatty Acids
  • Insecticides
  • Intervals
  • Lipids
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pest Control
  • Pesticides
  • Plants
  • United States

Fields of Study

  • Agricultural and Food sciences

Readers

  • Mathematics or Statistics
  • Toxicology/Environmental Toxicology
  • Vector-Borne Disease and Entomology