REPELLENT EVALUATION OF ICARIDINE APPLIED ON COTTON FABRIC ON Lutzomyia longipalpis (LUTZ & NEIVA, 1912)
Neglected Diseases. Phlebotomines. Behavior. Visceral leishmaniasis.
Lutzomyia longipalpis (Lutz & Neiva, 1912) (Diptera: Psychodidae) is the main vector insect of the protozoan Leishmania infantum (ROSS, 1903), the etiological agent of Visceral Leishmaniasis (LV) or Calazar in Brazil. For vector control, the use of insecticidal chemical compounds is highlighted, but possibly the use of this strategy has been causing resistance in populations of L. longipalpis, considerably increasing the cases of VL in recent years in Brazil. Approaches that use repellent materials are considered a new alternative to prevent the bite of this insect. Icaridine is one of the approved compounds for producing repellent products, with proven efficiency against mosquitoes and ticks. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the repellent action of Icaridine emulsion applied on cotton fabric on L. longipalpis adults. For this, the experiment had the participation of four volunteers (two men and two women), was conducted by the method of behavior of the arena type (Arm in cage), being used 15 females and 15 males of L. longipalpis in each exhibition. . The different concentrations of Icaridine (5%, 10%, 25% and 5%) were elaborated by dilution in 98% alcohol at the UFRN Textile Engineering Laboratory. The tests in each volunteer were performed from the exposure of the forearm dressed in cotton fabric without Icaridine (control group) and the application of the different concentrations by exposure of three minutes to insects, repeating the tests daily up to 168 hours after application. of the compound. The results observed in this study reveal that the average landings decreased significantly for the tests with Icaridine. It was possible to observe in the trials that there was a significant difference in the average of landings in analyzes from gender of the volunteer at concentrations of 5% (men = 20.63; women = 6.19) and 10% (men = 22.75; women = 4.75). The Total Protection Time (TPT) of each concentration applied in the tissue varied in each volunteer, the concentration of 5% obtained efficiency time range ranging from one to 24 hours. The 10% concentration obtained a 48-hour protection standard in three volunteers (min: 1h, max: 48h). At 25% concentration TPT was different in all volunteers (min .: 48h, max .: 144h), 50% of the Icaridine emulsion had a minimum TPT of 96 hours and a maximum protection of 168h. The total average landings at 168 hours of testing differed significantly (p <0.05) between the control and the concentrations of 5, 10 and 25%, where the average landing for the control was 55.78 and at the different concentrations. was 10.66; 8.41; 1.38; 0.13 to 5, 10, 25 and 50%, respectively. Repetition Rate (% R) of 100% was observed for all concentrations within the first one hour of testing. A posteriori, this repellency rate was maintained only at 25 and 50% concentrations until 48 and 96 hours after impregnation, respectively. The% R above 90% (ED90) in 168 hours served to mark a Minimum Effective Concentration (CEM), where it was observed that 25% Icaridine maintained% R> 90% during 168 hours (97.52 %). With this study, it was possible to define that different concentrations of Icaridine were efficient as repellent, varying in relation to TPT and% R. In addition, the concentration of 25% was the CEM, presenting better efficiency in the tests presenting relevant results for L. longipalpis repellency and could become an efficient strategy for the control of bites of this vector insect.