Use of an artificial feeder to replace birds to feed hematophagous insects: postintake effect

GONZALEZ PAULA; ASENJO F; VASSENA C. V; HARBURGUER L.

Mar del Plata

Congreso; Reunión Anual SAIC ? SAFE ? SAB ? SAP con la participacion de la Asosiacion Argentina de Ciencia y Tecnología de Animales de Laboratorio.; 2019

SAIC ? SAFE ? SAB ? SAP - AACYTAL

The Research Center for the Investigation on Plagues and Insecticides (CIPEIN) aims to develop pest insectcontrol tools, especially vectors of arboviral diseases, with high safety for human health and low environmental impact. In order to study these insects, it is essential to keep breed them. In order to minimize the use of birds for feeding these hematophagous insects, we have acquired and implemented the use of artificial feeders (Hemotec®). First, the optimal temperatures at which each insect species is attracted to feed using physiological solution were studied. The first results obtained indicated that at 40 °C V stage nymphs and adults of kissing bugs (Triatoma infestans) respond quickly trying to bite in 79 sec; at 35 °C in just about five minutes (327 sec) and at 30 °C they approach to the membrane but they don´t try to bite. Forbed bugs (Cimex lectularIUS) a similar trend is observed but they respond faster, in less than a minute (50 sec) at 40 °C, in 140 sec at 35 °C and in 160 sec at 30 °C. When Aedes aegypti mosquito females were used it was observed that they practically did not respond at 30 °C and for temperatures of 35 and 40 °C they presented responses as different as trying to bite in 20 sec or take more than 7 minutes. This would indicate that for species that are not obligate hematophagous and that do not live in direct contact with their host (such as mosquitoes) there would be other cues that would influence the behavior of blood search in addition to heat, such as olfactory cues for example carbon dioxide emissions. As a second part of this work, thephysiological solution was replaced by guinea pig or chickens blood using the optimum temperatures already evaluated. The effect on the survival rate of bed bugs and mosquito females was evaluated, demonstrating great variability within and between both species evaluated. The results show that the hematophagous insects studied respond to the use of the artificial feeder, and that it is then possible to use the Hemotec®to carry out their breeding according to the international standards and ethics committees required by the scientific journals