Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Behavioral and electrophysiological responses of Aedes albopictus to certain acids and alcohols present in human skin emanations

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Parasitology Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Human skin emanations attract hungry female mosquitoes toward their host for blood feeding. In this study, we report the flight orientation and electroantennogram response of Aedes albopictus females to certain unsaturated acids and alcohols found in human skin. In the Y-tube olfactometer, odors of lactic acid and 2-methyl-3-pentanol attracted 54–65 % of Ae. albopictus females at all doses in a dose-dependent manner. However, at the highest dose (10−2 g), the acids repelled 40–45 % females. Attractancy (ca. 62–68 %) at lower doses and repellency (ca. 30–45 %) at higher doses were recorded for 3-methyl-3-pentanol and 1-octen-3-ol, while 5-hexen-1-ol, cis-2-hexen-1-ol, and trans 2-hexen-1-ol odor repelled ca. 55–65 % of Ae. albopictus females at all doses. Antenna of female Ae. albopictus exhibited a dose-dependent EAG response up to 10−3 g of l-lactic acid, trans-2-methyl-2-pentenoic acid, 2-octenoic acid, trans-2-hexen-1-ol and 1-octen-3-ol stimulations; however, the highest dose (10−2 g) caused a little decline in the EAG response. EAG response of 9–10-fold was elicited by lactic acid, 2-octenoic acid, trans-2-hexenoic acid, and 3-methyl-3-pentanol, while cis-2-hexen-1-ol and trans-2-methyl pentenoic acid elicited 1–5-fold responses compared to solvent control. A blend of attractive compounds could be utilized in odor-baited trap for surveillance and repellent molecules with suitable formulation could be used to reduce the biting menace of mosquitoes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Acree FJ, Turner RB, Gouck HK, Beroza M, Smith N (1968) L-lactic acid: a mosquito attractant isolated from humans. Science 161:1346–1347

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bentley MD, Day JF (1989) Chemical ecology and behavioural aspects of mosquito oviposition. Ann Rev Entomol 34:401–421

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bernier UR, Kline DL, Barnard DR, Schreck CE, Yost RA (2000) Analysis of human skin emanations by gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry. 2. Identification of volatile compounds that are candidate attractants for the yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti). Anal Chern 72:747–756

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bernier UR, Kline DL, Posey KH, Booth MM, Yost RA, Barnard DR (2003) Synergistic attraction of Aedes aegypti (L.) to binary blends of L-lactic acid and acetone, dichloromethane, or dimethyl disulfide. J Med Entomol 40:653–656

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bohbot JD, Durand NF, Vinyard BT, Dickens JC (2013) Functional development of the octenol response in Aedes aegypti. Front Physiol 4:1–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bosch OJ, Geier M, Boeckh J (2000) Contribution of fatty acids to olfactory host finding of female Aedes aegypti. Chem Senses 25:323–330

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cilek JE, Ikediobi CO, Hallmon CF, Johnson R, Onyeozili EN, Farah SM, Mazu T, Latinwo LM, Ayuk-Takem L, Berniers UR (2011) Semi-field evaluation of several novel alkenol analogs of 1-octen-3-ol as attractants to adult Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus. J Am Mosq Control Assoc 27:256–262

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cilek JE, Ikediobi CO, Hallmon CF, Johnson R, Okungbowa O, Onyeozili EN, Khalil LM, Ayuk-Takem L, Latinwo LM, Bernier UR (2012) Evaluation of several novel alkynols, alkenols, and selected host odor blends as attractants to female Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus. J Am Mosq Control Assoc 28:199–205

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cook JI, Majeed S, Ignell R, Pickett JA, Birkett MA, Logan JG (2011) Enantiomeric selectivity in behavioural and electrophysiological responses of Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes. Bull Entomol Res 101:541–550

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cork A, Park KC (1996) Identification of electrophysiologically active compounds for the malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, in human sweat extracts. Med Vet Entomol 10:269–276

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Costantini C, Birkett MA, Gibson G, Ziesmann J, Sagnon NF, Mohammed HA, Coluzzi M, Pickett JA (2001) Electroantennogram and behavioural responses of the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae to human-specific sweat components. Med Vet Entomol 15:259–266

  • Dekker T, Steib B, Carde RT, Geier M (2002) L-lactic acid:a human-signifying host cue for the anthropophilic mosquito Anopheles gambiae. Med Vet Entomol 16:91–98

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dekker T, Geier M, Carde RT (2005) Carbon dioxide instantly sensitizes female yellow fever mosquitoes to human skin odours. J Exp Biol 208:2963–2972

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Deng Y, Yan H, Gu J, Xu J, Wu K, Tu Z, James AA, Chen X (2013) Molecular and functional characterization of odorant-binding protein genes in an invasive vector mosquito, Aedes albopictus. PLoS One 8:e68836

    Article  PubMed  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Dormont L, Bessiere JM, Cohuet A (2013) Human skin volatiles: A review. J Chem Ecol 39:569–578

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Geier M, Bosch OJ, Boeckh J (1999) Ammonia as an attractive component of host odour for the Yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti. Chem Senses 24:647–653

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Guha L, Seenivasagan T, Bandyopadhyay P, Iqbal ST, Sathe M, Sharma P, Parashar BD, Kaushik MP (2012) Oviposition and flight orientation response of Aedes aegypti to aryl hydrazono esters. Parasitol Res 111:975–982

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hao H, Sun J, Dai J (2012) Preliminary analysis of several attractants and spatial repellents for the mosquito, Aedes albopictus using an olfactometer. J Insect Sci 12:76

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Kawada H, Honda S, Takagi M (2007) Comparative laboratory study on the reaction of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus to different attractive cues in a mosquito trap. J Med Entomol 44:427–432

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Logan JG, Birkett MA, Clark SJ, Powers S, Seal NJ, Wadhams LJ, Mordue AJ, Pickett JA (2008) Identification of human-derived volatile chemicals that interfere with attraction of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. J Chern Ecol 34:308–322

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Logan JG, Pickett JA, Cameron MM (2013) Vector control using semiochemicals. In: Cameron MM, Lorenz LM (eds) Biological and Environmental Control of Disease Vectors. CAB International, London, pp 95–116

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Mathew N, Ayyanar E, Shanmugavelu S, Muthuswamy K (2013) Mosquito attractant blends to trap host seeking Aedes aegypti. Parasitol Res 112:1305–1312

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Puri SN, Mendki MJ, Sukumaran D, Ganesan K, Prakash S, Sekhar K (2006) Electroantennogram and behavioral responses of Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) Females to chemicals found in human skin emanations. J Med Ent 43:207–217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reifenrath WG (2005) Natural insect repellent. Washington D.C.: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, U.S. Patent No. 6,953,814.

  • Sastry SD, Buck KT, Janak J, Dressler M, Preti G (1980) Volatiles emitted by humans. In: Waller GR, Dermer OC (eds) Biochemical applications of mass spectrometry: First supplementary volume, vol 1. Wiley, Chichester, UK, pp 1085–1129

  • Schreck CE, Smith N, Carlson DA, Price GD, Haile D, Godwin DR (1981) A material isolated from human hands that attracts female mosquitoes. J Chern Ecol 8:429–438

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seenivasagan T, Vijayaraghavan R (2010) Oviposition pheromones in haematophagous insects. Vitam Horm 83:597–630

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Seenivasagan T, Sharma KR, Sekhar K, Ganesan K, Prakash S, Vijayaraghavan R (2009a) Electroantennogram, flight orientation, and oviposition responses of Aedes aegypti to the oviposition pheromone n-heneicosane. Parasitol Res 104:827–833

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Seenivasagan T, Sharma KR, Shrivastava A, Parashar BD, Pant SC, Prakash S (2009b) Surface morphology and morphometric analysis of sensilla of Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse): an SEM investigation. J Vector Borne Dis 46:125–135

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Seenivasagan T, Sharma KR, Ganesan K, Prakash S (2010) Electrophysiological, flight orientation and oviposition responses of three species of mosquito vectors to hexadecyl pentanoate: residual oviposition repellent activity. J Med Entomol 47:329–337

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Seenivasagan T, Sharma KR, Prakash S (2012) Electroantennogram, flight orientation and oviposition responses of Anopheles stephensi and Aedes aegypti to a fatty acid ester-propyl octadecanoate. Acta Trop 124:54–61

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Seenivasagan T, Guha L, Iqbal ST (2013) Behavioral and electrophysiological responses of Culex quinquefasciatus to certain fatty acid esters. Acta Trop 128:606–612

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Seenivasagan T, Guha L, Parashar BD, Agrawal OP, Sukumaran D (2014) Olfaction in Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus: flight orientation response to certain saturated carboxylic acids in human skin emanations. Parasitol Res 113:1927–1932

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma KR, Seenivasagan T, Rao AN, Ganesan K, Agrawal OP, Malhotra RC, Prakash S (2008) Oviposition responses of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus to certain fatty acid esters. Parasitol Res 103:1065–1073

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma KR, Seenivasagan T, Rao AN, Ganesan K, Agrawal OP, Prakash S (2009) Mediation of oviposition responses in the malaria mosquito Anopheles stephensi Liston by certain fatty acid esters. Parasitol Res 104:281–286

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shirai Y, Kamimura K, Seki T, Morohashi M (2001) L-lactic acid as a mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) repellent on human and mouse skin. J Med Entomol 38:51–54

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smallegange RC, Qiu YT, van Loon JJA, Takken W (2005) Synergism between ammonia, lactic acid and carboxylic acids as kairomones in the host-seeking behavior of the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto (Diptera: Culicidae). Chem Senses 30:145–152

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Takken W (1991) The role of olfaction in host-seeking of mosquitoes: a review. Insect Sci Appl 12:287–295

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang Z, Mo J, Zhang S (2006) Laboratory and field evaluations of potential human host odors for Aedes albopictus Skuse (Diptera: Culicidae). J Agric Urban Entomol 23:57–64

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The work received financial grants through the Project-201 (S&T) of Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior. The authors are thankful to the Director, Defence Research and Development Establishment, and Head, Vector Management Division, for their encouragement. We thank all the members of Vector management division for the help in maintenance of the mosquito culture. Lopamudra expresses her gratitude to Defence Research and Development Organisation, New Delhi, for the Junior Research Fellowship during the course of work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Defence Research and Development Establishment, Jhansi Road, Gwalior, 474 002, Madhya Pradesh, India

    Lopamudra Guha, T. Seenivasagan, S. Thanvir Iqbal & B. D. Parashar

  2. School of Studies in Zoology, Jiwaji University, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, 474 011, India

    O. P. Agrawal

Authors
  1. Lopamudra Guha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. T. Seenivasagan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. Thanvir Iqbal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. O. P. Agrawal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. B. D. Parashar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to T. Seenivasagan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Guha, L., Seenivasagan, T., Iqbal, S.T. et al. Behavioral and electrophysiological responses of Aedes albopictus to certain acids and alcohols present in human skin emanations. Parasitol Res 113, 3781–3787 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-014-4044-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-014-4044-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation