ARS | Publication request: Role oh human-associated compounds in host-finding by Culex mosquitoes

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: June 30, 2009
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Culex mosquitoes are important vectors of West Nile virus and other encephalitides in North America. Mosquitoes in this genera, however, vary in their propensity for feeding on mammalian hosts and this is reflected in the difficulty in trapping some of these species using conventional traps and lures. With potential development of new lures based on human odors, an examination of responses of several Culex species to human-associated odors was undertaken. The role of L-lactic acid and several other human-associated compounds were evaluated for attraction of Culex nigripalpus, Culex quinquefasciatus, Culex tarsalis and Aedes aegypti (for comparison as a human-associated species) in the laboratory using a dual-port olfactometer. Previous studies indicated that lactic acid may mediate attraction of anthropophilic species to humans and conversely deter zoophilic species. Lactic acid was combined with host odors and moderately increased attraction of Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus and decreased attrction of Cx. nigripalpus, and Cx. tarsalis. Responses to other human-associated compounds with an without CO2 were determined and patterns of responses of Culex species to human-associated odors determined.