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Research article2006Peer reviewed

The effect of repellents Ocimum forskolei and deet on the response of Anopheles stephensi to host odours

Waka M, Hopkins RJ, Glinwood R, Curtis C

Abstract

The behavioural response of Anopheles stephensi Liston (Diptera: Culicidae) to incubated host odours (from human and goat) and to human odour in combination with a repellent plant, Ocimum forskolei (Labiatae), or deet (N, N, diethyl-toluamide) (20%) was tested in a dual-port olfactometer. An. stephensi was significantly attracted to both host odours compared with air alone, but showed no preference when given a choice between both host odours simultaneously. In choice tests, the addition of deet to human odour did not significantly divert mosquitoes to human odour alone, but did divert them to goat odour. O. forskolei combined with human odour diverted mosquitoes to goat or human odour alone. Combinations of human odour and O. forskolei, and human odour and deet were both as unattractive as air alone, and attracted mosquitoes equally when offered simultaneously. The results indicate that use of O. forskolei as a repellent would be beneficial in reducing vector biting if used in communities in areas with partially zoophilic mosquito species such as An. stephensi, and where animals are present

Published in

Medical and Veterinary Entomology
2006, volume: 20, number: 4, pages: 373-376
Publisher: BLACKWELL PUBLISHING

SLU Authors

  • Waka, Maedot

    • Department of Entomology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
  • Hopkins, Richard

    • Department of Entomology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
  • Glinwood, Robert

    • Department of Entomology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

UKÄ Subject classification

Environmental Sciences and Nature Conservation
Food Science

Publication identifier

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2915.2006.00645.x

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/9537