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  • Publication
    AccĆØs libre
    Rumen metabolites serve ticks to exploit large mammals
    (2004)
    DonzƩ, GƩrard
    ;
    McMahon, Conor
    ;
  • Publication
    MƩtadonnƩes seulement
    In vitro assays for repellents and deterrents for ticks: differing effects of products when tested with attractant or arrestment stimuli
    (2003)
    McMahon, Conor
    ;
    ;
    Most in vivo and in vitro tests with repellents or deterrents against ticks have not considered which sensory channel is being targeted. We have recorded the responses of two hard tick species (Acari: Ixodidae) in vitro to determine if such products can disrupt the perception of an attractant in a repellent assay or the perception of an arrestment stimulus in a deterrent assay. Ethyl butylacetylaminopropionate (EBAAP), N,N-diethyl-methyl-benzamide (deet), permethrin and indalone were chosen to test their capacity to inhibit the attraction of Amblyomma variegatum Fabricius to its aggregation-attachment pheromone. Vapours of each test product plus those from a synthetic blend of the pheromone were delivered to the walking tick in an air stream on a locomotion compensator. Neither EBAAP, deet, permethrin nor indalone could inhibit attraction of A. variegatum even when each of the test products was delivered at 10(6) times the pheromone. Indalone did decrease the attraction of A. variegatum to the pheromone and induced repulsion of A. variegatum when presented on its own in the air stream. The effect of permethrin, a sodium channel blocker, was also tested in a deterrent assay measuring the arrestment of Ixodes ricinus (L.) adults on its own faeces and faecal constituents. Permethrin deterred arrestment at doses of 670 fg/cm(2) to 67 ng/cm(2), i.e. at levels five times lower than the dose of chemostimuli present in the arrestment stimulus. This sensitivity to permethrin suggests that it acts via the contact chemoreception channel.
  • Publication
    AccĆØs libre
    In vitro assays for repellents and deterrents for ticks: differing effects of products when tested with attractant or arrestment stimuli
    (2003)
    McMahon, Conor
    ;
    Krƶber, Thomas
    ;
    Most in vivo and in vitro tests with repellents or deterrents against ticks have not considered which sensory channel is being targeted. We have recorded the responses of two hard tick species (Acari: Ixodidae) in vitro to determine if such products can disrupt the perception of an attractant in a repellent assay or the perception of an arrestment stimulus in a deterrent assay. Ethyl butylacetylaminopropionate (EBAAP), N,N-diethyl-methyl-benzamide (deet), permethrin and indalone were chosen to test their capacity to inhibit the attraction of Amblyomma variegatum Fabricius to its aggregation-attachment pheromone. Vapours of each test product plus those from a synthetic blend of the pheromone were delivered to the walking tick in an air stream on a locomotion compensator. Neither EBAAP, deet, permethrin nor indalone could inhibit attraction of A. variegatum even when each of the test products was delivered at 106 times the pheromone. Indalone did decrease the attraction of A. variegatum to the pheromone and induced repulsion of A. variegatum when presented on its own in the air stream. The effect of permethrin, a sodium channel blocker, was also tested in a deterrent assay measuring the arrestment of Ixodes ricinus (L.) adults on its own faeces and faecal constituents. Permethrin deterred arrestment at doses of 670 fg/cm2 to 67 ng/cm2, i.e. at levels five times lower than the dose of chemostimuli present in the arrestment stimulus. This sensitivity to permethrin suggests that it acts via the contact chemoreception channel.
  • Publication
    AccĆØs libre
    Attraction of the tropical bont tick, Amblyomma variegatum, to human breath and to the breath components acetone, NO and CO2
    (2002)
    McMahon, Conor
    ;
    Ticks are of medical and veterinary importance and employ several cues in search of a host. Olfaction is one modality by which ticks locate a blood-meal and breath is the major vent of gaseous and volatile metabolites from the host that could contribute to this search. We studied the responses of a hunter tick, Amblyomma variegatum, to diluted human breath and five of its components (acetone, CO2, NO, isoprene and NH3) while walking in an air stream on a locomotion compensator. Diluted breath elicited the greatest responses of all treatments in terms of time to onset of upwind walk, attraction, speed and local search behaviour after stimulus off. Acetone, NO and CO2 also attracted, but with a reduced speed in the case of acetone and NO. Neither isoprene nor NH3 induced any response. Our study indicates that breath was the most adequate stimulus tested. It also attracted two other ixodid tick species, Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Ixodes ricinus, as well as the argasid tick, Ornithodorus moubata. It appears that the evolution of resource tracking in ticks included sensory and behavioural adaptations for recognition and orientation to host metabolites that are regularly expelled in breath.
  • Publication
    AccĆØs libre
    1-Octen-3-Ol Isolated from Bont Ticks Attracts Amblyomma variegatum
    (2001)
    McMahon, Conor
    ;
    ;
    Syed, Zainulabeudin
    Volatiles from various life-stages of the bont ticks Amblyomma variegatum and A. hebraeum were collected by using solid-phase microfibers and charcoal traps. An octenol isomer was found to be a major constituent of most of the tick material sampled and was identified as 1-octen-3-ol by gas chromatographyā€“mass spectrometry and by using antenna of the tsetse fly Glossina brevipalpis in gas chromatography-linked antennogram detection. Release of this compound increased during molt to adulthood and following mechanical disturbance of adult ticks. (R)-(ā€“)-1-Octen-3-ol and racemate 1-octen-3-ol both induce an increase in upwind walk to the odor source from A. variegatum in an airstream on a servosphere. Volatiles from tick exuviae plus feces and from dead ticks also attracted A. variegatum, suggesting that 1-octen-3-ol may contribute to the aggregation response of Amblyomma spp. on such substrates. 2,6-Dichloroanisol and 2,5-dimethylpyrazine also were detected in volatiles from the ticks but induced no behavioral responses on the servosphere. The suspected tick pheromone component, 2,6-dichlorophenol, was detected from A. variegatum adults cut into pieces but had no effect on the behavior of A. variegatum on the servosphere at a range of doses.
  • Publication
    MƩtadonnƩes seulement
    Responses of the tropical bont tick, Amblyomma variegatum (Fabricius), to its aggregation-attachment pheromone presented in an air stream on a servosphere
    (2000)
    McMahon, Conor
    ;
    Male Amblyomma variegatum ticks feeding on a host release a mixture of o-nitrophenol and methyl salicylate which serves to attract conspecifics. The behavioural responses of A. variegatum on a servosphere to these volatiles presented in an air stream are detailed hers. In still air, ticks walked on all eight legs, but with long halts. In contrast, the air stream caused continuous walking and induced a reaching response where the forelegs actively sampled the air. Such reaching increased the angular velocity and reduced walking speed, effects that were amplified in the presence of vapours from o-nitrophenol and methyl salicylate in the air flowing over the ticks. Vapour from a 1:1 mixture of o-nitrophenol and methyl salicylate was attractive over a 10(4)-fold concentration range providing an increase in upwind displacement of 20-40%, significantly higher than the natural ratio where o-nitrophenol vapour predominates. Although the responses to o-nitrophenol vapour were variable when presented alone, this chemical was consistently attractive when delivered with steer hair odour - unattractive on its own. Moreover, the upwind walk to this combination did not cause a change in speed or angular velocity. This supports the hypothesis that the response to the pheromone is enhanced by host odour.
  • Publication
    AccĆØs libre
    Influence of Dose and Ratio of Mixtures of Pheronome Components on the Attraction of the Tropical Bont Tick, Amblyomma Variegatum
    (2000)
    McMahon, Conor
    ;
    The responses of A. variegatum adults to constituents ot 'their aggregation-attraction pheromone presented in an air stream were studied using a locomotion compensator. The responses to vapours from two mixtures were compared, the first a 1:1 mixture of o-nitrophenol and methyl salicylale, the second a four component mixture Ā® containing o-nitrophenol, methyl salicylale, 2,6 dichlorophenol and phenyl acetaldehyde in the ratio 10:10:2:1, respectively. No difference was found between the kineses responses of A. variegatum adults for either mixture: both elicited an increase in angular velocity and a reduction in speed. Moreover, attraction to vapours of either mixture was reduced significantly as the source dose was increased: both mixtures were good attractants at a source dose of 10 Ī¼g of the main components, but were not attractive at source doses 100 times higher. As with many other arthropods, A. variegatum adults arc responsive to the ratio, as well as to the dose, of constituents in an attractant mix. We suggest that the quantity and ratios of compounds in attractive mixtures released from commercial dispensers should be measured before use in any control programme.
  • Publication
    AccĆØs libre
    Chemosensory and behavioural adaptations of ectoparasitic arthropods
    (2000) ; ;
    McMahon, Conor
    ;
    Guerenstein, Pablo
    ;
    Grenacher, Stoyan
    ;
    ; ;
    Steullet, Pascal
    ;
    Syed, Zainulabeudin
  • Publication
    AccĆØs libre
    Responses of the tropical bont tick, Amblyomma variegatum (Fabricius), to its aggregation-attachment pheromone presented in an air stream on a servosphere
    (2000)
    McMahon, Conor
    ;
    Male Amblyomma variegatum ticks feeding on a host release a mixture of o -nitrophenol and methyl salicylate which serves to attract conspecifics. The behavioural responses of A. variegatum on a servosphere to these volatiles presented in an air stream are detailed here. In still air, ticks walked on all eight legs, but with long halts. In contrast, the air stream caused continuous walking and induced a reaching response where the forelegs actively sampled the air. Such reaching increased the angular velocity and reduced walking speed, effects that were amplified in the presence of vapours from o -nitrophenol and methyl salicylate in the air flowing over the ticks. Vapour from a 1:1 mixture of o -nitrophenol and methyl salicylate was attractive over a 104-fold concentration range providing an increase in upwind displacement of 20ā€“40%, significantly higher than the natural ratio where o -nitrophenol vapour predominates. Although the responses to o -nitrophenol vapour were variable when presented alone, this chemical was consistently attractive when delivered with steer hair odour ā€“ unattractive on its own. Moreover, the upwind walk to this combination did not cause a change in speed or angular velocity. This supports the hypothesis that the response to the pheromone is enhanced by host odour.