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Researchers say that bacteria act as an effective insect repellent
A common soil bacterium, of natural origin, has proved to be as effective as an insect repellent as the most commonly used active chemical ingredients on the market.
It is expected that microorganisms of the genus Xenorhabdus can be used as weapons in the fight against mosquitoes, such as dengue fever, malaria and zika, as well as other parasites, such as ticks.
"We knew that the Xenorhabdus bacteria killed insects and produced certain chemicals with antibiotic, antifungal and insecticidal properties, "said biologist Mayur Kumar Kajla, a researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the United States, at BBC News Brazil. Herd on Malaria, New Delhi, India.
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"We discovered in the laboratory, by examining several samples of isolated bacteria, which, when mixed with blood, prevent mosquitoes from feeding themselves. Then we see the possibility of producing an anti-mosquito. "
Tests have shown that The idea is effective. The compounds obtained from Xenorhabdus repelled the insects as effectively as the commercial DEET and picaridine repellents. Scientists want to use microorganisms of the genus Xenorhabdus as a weapon in the fight against mosquitoes transmitting dengue, malaria and zika
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Mayur Kumar Kajla, University of Wisconsin-Madison (19659004)
The scientists involved in the research believe they have opened a new method of controlling mosquitoes and other harmful insects – with one advantage: it would be a natural, non-synthetic repellent, but equally effective against bites.
The research was published Wednesday by the journal Science Advances. According to the publication, the discovery "may help reduce the risk of dangerous pathogens such as dengue, malaria and zika".
"Many types of bacteria are already used in pharmaceutical applications, such as antibiotics." Previous studies on bacteria of the genus Xenorhabdus had already shown several bioactivities such as antibiotic, antifungal and insecticidal properties in the secondary metabolites produced by the bacterium. This is the first time they have explored their ability to act as natural repellents against mosquitoes, "the paper said in a statement.
Tests
Kajla and his team used a feeding system cell to track the bacteria compounds able to act on insects.In the laboratory, the species Xenorhabdus budapestensis of the bacterium was used
.The scientists then tested the action of the compounds obtained and compared with two synthetic repellents, one compound of DEET and the other of picaridine.The natural formula, obtained from the bacterium, was as effective, if not more, than the synthetic formula by repelling the Aedes aegypti – the mosquito that transmits dengue The repellent would be natural and not synthetic, but equally effective against insect bites
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Mayur Kumar Kajla, University of Wisconsin-Madison
They were also effective against two other mosquito vectors, Anopheles gambiae and Culex pipiens. The expectations of researchers and their compounds could be used in a wider variety of other transmissible mosquito species.
Use in human
"We have so far described the repellent active compounds produced by these bacteria and showed them. The compounds are potent in repelling Aedes, Anopheles and Culex mosquitoes in laboratory tests. The next steps are to evaluate their toxicity in cell cultures and animal models before they can be tested on human skin, "said Kajla.
The scientist explains that bacteria "produce these compounds in their growth medium", that is to say a liquid diet in which researchers develop bacteria. This means that "repulsive active compounds can be isolated from bacterial cultures".
"Thus, the purified compounds are used in repellency tests, not the bacteria themselves," says the biologist.
"In this way, the repulsive active substances, and not the bacteria, can become the active ingredient of a repellent formula, very similar to DEET-based repellents available on the market."
Synthetic Products
The two synthetic products that have been compared to the compound extracted from bacteria are the active ingredients among the most common in repellents on sale today. DEET is a chemical compound commercially indicated in Brazil under the name of diethyltoluamide. Its official scientific name, according to the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, is N, N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide.
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by Mayur Kumar Kajla, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Tests have shown that the compounds obtained repel insects as efficiently as commercial products based on DEET and picaridine repellents.
Protects against insects, ticks and other arthropods and is used to prevent diseases such as dengue, malaria, yellow fever, among others.
The compound was developed by the US military. It was first tested as a pesticide in rural areas and used as the first repellent only by the army since the Second World War. Its use for civilian purposes began in 1957.
Picaridin, also known as icaridine or KBR 3023, is an active substance derived from pepper. Its official scientific nomenclature is 2- (2-hydroxyethyl) -1-methylpropyl acid of 1-piperidinecarboxylic acid.
It is an effective product against mosquitoes transmitting dengue fever, yellow fever, leishmaniasis, in addition to the vector tick of spotted fever.
Historically, the French infectologist Eric Lundwall told the army during missions in French Guiana that he used a compound because of the high incidence of malaria in the Amazon region.
In 2002, picaridine was marketed. In Brazil, products containing this active ingredient are marketed in 2005.
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