Evaluation of contact irritant and spatial repellent behavioral responses of male Aedes aegypti to vector control compounds.

The objective of this study was to quantify the contact irritant (CI) and spatial repellent (SR) behaviors of male Aedes aegypti upon exposure to standard chemicals currently used for vector control under laboratory conditions. Results indicate that male Ae. aegypti test populations exhibited significant (P < 0.01) escape responses upon contact to varying doses of alphacypermethrin, deltamethrin, permethrin, and DDT. Analysis of data generated from the SR assays indicated that only DDT elicited a significant (P < 0.01) SR response, while alphacypermethrin, deltamethrin, and permethrin elicited no directional movement in the assay system. These findings are consistent with data generated previously using female Ae. aegypti of the same strain. It is hoped that information from this study will be used to stimulate additional research of male vector behavior in response to chemical stimuli. Determining the CI and SR responses of male vectors against chemicals used in current intervention strategies is important in understanding the impact these chemical actions will have on overall vector population dynamics and therefore disease transmission.