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Landing responses of Anopheles gambiae elicited by oxocarboxylic acids
Author(s) -
Healy T. P.,
Copland M. J. W.,
Cork A.,
Przyborowska A.,
Halket J. M.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
medical and veterinary entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.028
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1365-2915
pISSN - 0269-283X
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2915.2002.00353.x
Subject(s) - anopheles gambiae , biology , aqueous solution , bioassay , chromatography , organic chemistry , chemistry , ecology , immunology , malaria
A wind tunnel bioassay and video system were used to observe Anopheles gambiae Giles sensu stricto (Diptera: Culicidae) landing on glass cylinders, heated to human skin temperature (34°C) and treated with aqueous solutions of oxocarboxylic acids. Six of nine compounds tested: 2‐oxobutanoic, 2‐oxo‐3‐methylbutanoic, 2‐oxopentanoic, 2‐oxo‐3‐methylpentanoic, 2‐oxo‐4‐methylpentanoic and 2‐oxohexanoic elicited significant landing responses in comparison to a water control. Landing responses appeared to be restricted to C4–C6, 2‐oxocarboxylic acids. A solution of 1 µg/µL of 2‐oxopentanoic acid elicited the highest level of response that was temperature dependent: significant numbers of landings occurred only within ± 2°C of human skin temperature. Chemical analysis by linked gas‐liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry of methyl‐oxime, trimethylsilyl derivatized samples of human sweat extracts revealed the presence of 2‐oxopropanoic (pyruvic) acid and three behaviourally active, branched chain acids: 2‐oxo‐3‐methylbutanoic, 2‐oxo‐3‐methylpentanoic and 2‐oxo‐4‐methylpentanoic.