Control of sand flies with attractive toxic sugar baits (ATSB) and potential impact on non-target organisms in Morocco

International audienceBackground: The persistence and geographical expansion of leishmaniasis is a major public health problem that requires the development of effective integrated vector management strategies for sand fly control. Moreover, these strategies must be economically and environmentally sustainable approaches that can be modified based on the current knowledge of sand fly vector behavior. The efficacy of using attractive toxic sugar baits (ATSB) for sand fly control and the potential impacts of ATSB on non-target organisms in Morocco was investigated. Methods: Sand fly field experiments were conducted in an agricultural area along the flood plain of the Ourika River. Six study sites (600 m x 600 m); three with ``sugar rich'' (with cactus hedges bearing countless ripe fruits) environments and three with ``sugar poor'' (green vegetation only suitable for plant tissue feeding) environments were selected to evaluate ATSB, containing the toxin, dinotefuran. ATSB applications were made either with bait stations or sprayed on non-flowering vegetation. Control sites were established in both sugar rich and sugar poor environments. Field studies evaluating feeding on vegetation treated with attractive (non-toxic) sugar baits (ASB) by non-target arthropods were conducted at both sites with red stained ASB applied to non-flowering vegetation, flowering vegetation, or on bait stations. Results: At both the sites, a single application of ATSB either applied to vegetation or bait stations significantly reduced densities of both female and male sand flies (Phlebotomus papatasi and P. sergenti) for the five-week trial period. Sand fly populations were reduced by 82.8% and 76.9% at sugar poor sites having ATSB applied to vegetation or presented as a bait station, respectively and by 78.7% and 83.2%, respectively at sugar rich sites. The potential impact of ATSB on non-targets, if applied on green non-flowering vegetation and bait stations, was low for all non-target groups as only 1% and 0.7% were stained with non-toxic bait respectively when monitored after 24 hours. Conclusions: The results of this field study demonstrate ATSB effectively controls both female and male sand flies regardless of competing sugar sources. Furthermore, ATSB applied to foliar vegetation and on bait stations has low non-target impact

Malaria vector research and control in Haiti: a systematic review

BACKGROUND: Haiti has a set a target of eliminating malaria by 2020. However, information on malaria vector research in Haiti is not well known. This paper presents results from a systematic review of the literature on malaria vector research, bionomics and control in Haiti. METHODS: A systematic search of literature published in French, Spanish and English languages was conducted in 2015 using Pubmed (MEDLINE), Google Scholar, EMBASE, JSTOR WHOLIS and Web of Science databases as well other grey literature sources such as USAID, and PAHO. The following search terms were used: malaria, Haiti, Anopheles, and vector control. RESULTS: A total of 132 references were identified with 40 high quality references deemed relevant and included in this review. Six references dealt with mosquito distribution, seven with larval mosquito ecology, 16 with adult mosquito ecology, three with entomological indicators of malaria transmission, eight with insecticide resistance, one with sero-epidemiology and 16 with vector control. In the last 15 years (2000–2015), there have only been four published papers and three-scientific meeting abstracts on entomology for malaria in Haiti. Overall, the general literature on malaria vector research in Haiti is limited and dated. DISCUSSION: Entomological information generated from past studies in Haiti will contribute to the development of strategies to achieve malaria elimination on Hispaniola. However it is of paramount importance that malaria vector research in Haiti is updated to inform decision-making for vector control strategies in support of malaria elimination

Assessment of synthetic floral-based attractants and sugar baits to capture male and female Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)

BACKGROUND: The viruses transmitted by Aedes aegypti, including dengue and Zika viruses, are rapidly expanding in geographic range and as a threat to public health. In response, control programs are increasingly turning to the use of sterile insect techniques resulting in a need to trap male Ae. aegypti to monitor the efficacy of the intervention. However, there is a lack of effective and cheap methods for trapping males. Thus, we attempted to exploit the physiological need to obtain energy from sugar feeding in order to passively capture male and female Ae. aegypti (nulliparous and gravid) in free-flight attraction assays. Candidate lures included previously identified floral-based (phenylacetaldehyde, linalool oxide, phenylethyl alcohol, and acetophenone) attractants and an attractive toxic sugar bait-based (ATSB) solution of guava and mango nectars. A free-flight attraction assay assessed the number of mosquitoes attracted to each candidate lure displayed individually. Then, a choice test was performed between the best-performing lure and a water control displayed in Gravid Aedes Traps (GAT). RESULTS: Results from the attraction assays indicated that the ATSB solution of guava and mango nectars was the most promising lure candidate for males; unlike the floral-based attractants tested, it performed significantly better than the water control. Nulliparous and gravid females demonstrated no preference among the lures and water controls indicating a lack of attraction to floral-based attractants and sugar baits in a larger setting. Although the guava-mango ATSB lure was moderately attractive to males when presented directly (i.e. no need to enter a trap or other confinement), it failed to attract significantly more male, nulliparous female, or gravid female Ae. aegypti than water controls when presented inside a Gravid Aedes Trap. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the use of volatile floral-based attractants and sugar mixtures that have been identified in the literature is not an effective lure by which to kill Ae. aegypti at ATSB stations nor capture them in the GAT. Future trapping efforts would likely be more successful if focused on more promising methods for capturing male and female Ae. aegypti. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-016-1946-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

New In(O i Pr)(3)-MCM-41 heterogeneous catalyst in MPV reductions of unsaturated carbonyl compounds: effect of mesoporous SBA-15 and MCM-41 as supporting surfaces on catalytic activity of In(O i Pr)(3)

KARATAS, ERHAN/0000-0003-2467-9700WOS: 000394347200010Indium tri-isopropoxide, In(O (i) Pr)(3), was immobilized on mesoporous material, MCM-41, and denoted as "In(O (i) Pr)(3)-MCM-41". This new heterogeneous catalyst was characterized by XRD, Si-29 NMR-, N-2 adsorption-desorption isotherms and ICP-OES techniques. The new heterogeneous catalyst, In(O (i) Pr)(3)-MCM-41, was tested for the capable of catalyzed Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley (MPV) reduction of unsaturated aldehydes and ketones with low catalyst loadings under mild conditions and showed good to excellent catalytic activities. Also, effect of supporting surfaces, both of SBA-15 and MCM-41, on catalytic activity of In(O (i) Pr)(3) were examined. In(O (i) Pr)(3)-SBA-15 heterogeneous catalyst in comparison with the In(O (i) Pr)(3)-MCM-41 catalyst, display comparatively higher catalytic activity in the MPV reduction of unsaturated aldehydes and ketones. Also, similiar reaction times and selectivities for the unsaturated alcohols were obtained with the In(O (i) Pr)(3)-SBA-15 catalyst compared with the In(O (i) Pr)(3)-MCM-41 catalyst. The reason for the lower activity observed for MCM-41 sample may be due to smaller pore size of the In(O (i) Pr)(3)-MCM-41 catalyst as compared with In(O (i) Pr)(3)-SBA-15 catalyst can creat restrict site accessibility for the carbonyl compounds. Eventually, effect of supporting surfaces, SBA-15 and MCM-41, on catalytic activity of In(O (i) Pr)(3) insignificant for MPV reduction of unsaturated carbonyl compounds.Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK)Turkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK) [113Z389]The financial support of Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) under Grant No. 113Z389 is gratefully acknowledged