The American discovered a natural chemical relationship secreted by donkeys, which effectively scares dangerous ticks IXODES Scapularis – the main spreaders of Lyme disease. The substance turned out to be equally effective, and in places even better than popular means, which opens the way to create a natural repellent for people and the environment.
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have made a breakthrough discovery that can lead to a natural and effective tick deterrent agent. It turns out that chemical compounds naturally secreted by the skin effectively deter ticks of the IXODES scapularis species, also known as deer ticks. They are the main spreader of Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and babesiosis. Most cases of their attacks on people were recorded in the USA.
Currently, the most effective tick deterrence measures contain ingredients such as DEET or permethin – substances that act if they are used in accordance with the recommendations, but also have their disadvantages. Some people avoid their use due to possible side effects or simply prefer natural alternatives.
– There is a strong social demand for natural methods of combating and repelling ticks – pointed out the microbiologist Stephen Rich, director of the research institution of the New England Center of Excellence in Vector -Borne Diseases.
The smell of donkeys scares off ticks
The research team led by Eric Siegel, a doctoral student at the New England Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases, focused on differences in the skin secretions of horses and donkeys. The sebaceous glands of these animals produce chemical compounds – the so -called Allomons – which affect the behavior of other organisms. One of them is (E) -2-Oktenal, which occurs in the skin of donkeys, but not in horses. It was this relationship that turned out to be crucial.
– This is a fragrance characteristic of a donkey that a horse does not have. For a tick, this means that the host smells different than he should. Ticks do not like it and do not want to get closer to him – explained Eric Siegel. In laboratory conditions, researchers showed that (E) -2-Oktenal effectively stops deer ticks from moving, which suggests its huge potential as a repellent. In some cases, he acted as effectively as DEET – and even better, especially for males of ticks.
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Interestingly, some of the experiments were carried out by high school students who took part in the 10-week research program at the Stephen Rich laboratory. Four of them – Sophia Goodnnow, Elizabeth Macleod, Sarah Nicolson and Lucy Thompson – became co -authors of the publication, which appeared in the magazine Plos One.
Currently, the team cooperates with one of the companies on the commercial use of the discovery. In addition to the repellent for people and pets, considerations are also underway to use in the natural environment – for example, to control the population of ticks without the need for pesticides.
– The question is: Can we replace chemical spraying with this natural relationship to scare off ticks? Eric Siegel wondered.
tvnmeteo.pl, University of Massachusetts Amherst
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