In the proposed biomedical research, the principal investigator and students will attempt to interrupt the dispersal, development and population growth process of the Asian tiger mosquito vector, Aedes albopictus (Skuse) in the Americas. Specifically, the long term or ultimate objective is to prevent the possible transmission of several endemic arboviruses including Dengue and LaCrosse encephalitis virus in the Americas by Aedes albopictus, through the release of sexually sterilized males and the treatment of breeding habitats with larvicidal materials from mucous secretions. These methods should be capable of drastically reducing populations of Ae. albopictus, since there is no therapeutic measure for preventing or treating these human infections. In 1980, the first indigenous transmission of dengue occurred in the United States in thirty-five years and subsequently in 1986. To obtain the objectives the proposed study is divided into five phases (1) oral treatment of adults (laboratory and field cage studies), (2) effects of juveniods on the F1 generation, (3) longevity of the treated males, (4) permanency of male sterility and (5) mucous secretions (extract, test and identify toxic substances in the mucous). Tests for chemosterilant effect will be conducted through oral treatment of the adult stage, Ae. albopictus with three classes of juveniods, benzylphenols (J2419, J2644, J2706), benzodioxoles (J2581, J2693) and a Carbamate (fenoxycarb). Non-hatchability of eggs will be used as a criterion for calculating sterility induced in eggs. The larvicidal effect of mucous secretions will be determined through a series of laboratory tolerance tests with the different larval instars at two or more concentration levels of the secretions. Also, samples of the mucous secretions will be analyzed to separate and determine (through use of HPLC) the target larvicidal material in the mucous.
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