MAY 2, 2003
ISCA TECHNOLOGIES AWARDED U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CONTRACT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LURE AND TRAP SPECIFIC FOR THE DENGUE / YELLOW FEVER MOSQUITO

ISCA Technologies Inc. (Riverside, CA) has been awarded $120,000 from the U.S. Army SBIR Phase I program for the research and development of "Innovative Trap Lured with Highly Effective Attractant for Adult Mosquito Vectors of Dengue Fever."

The global prevalence of Dengue and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever has grown dramatically in recent decades, spreading from 9 to some 40 countries. World Health Organization (WHO) authorities estimate that there may be more than 50 million cases of dengue worldwide every year, with a fatality rate of about 5 to 10% depending on the population affected. Dengue epidemics are constantly reported in different areas of the world. For example on January 1 2002, WHO cites reports documenting 104,469 cases of dengue and 40 dengue related deaths in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil alone.

Dengue is also a major threat to military forces deployed to tropical areas of the world. Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are the most common vectors of Dengue. he U.S. Army Preventive Medicine detachments are monitoring adult mosquito vector populations; however, the majority of stand alone sampling devices available are ineffective for Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus surveillance.

Currently the most effective method of monitoring Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes is to collect them as they land to bite human volunteers. However, this form of monitoring places human subjects at risk of infection with Dengue or other mosquito-borne diseases. Collections with backpack aspirators are useful surveillance tools because it provides the closest approximation to human-biting collections; however, it is labor-intensive and frequently not suited for use by small preventive medicine units. The currently available passive electronic mosquito trapping devices provide additional means< for collecting dengue vectors. CDC light traps are the principal electronic surveillance devices used by Army Preventive Medicine detachments for monitoring adult mosquito vector populations; however, these devices are completely ineffective for Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus surveillance. The Fay-Prince and Wilton traps are the most effective stand-alone electronic trapping devices available for vectors of Dengue; however, both capture far fewer mosquitoes than human collectors. A trap that effectively samples the Dengue vectors is essential for the development of an effective Dengue Vector Control Surveillance (DVCS) program.

ISCA proposes to further develop a species specific attractant and trap to enhance monitoring capabilities, resulting in faster and more effective decision making with regards to Dengue vector control and management, a key to the success of a DVCS program. To improve current monitoring traps, we need to understand the chemical ecology of mosquitoes. The discrepancy between 'attraction' and trap capture and the effect of plume structure on upwind flight indicates that detailed behavioral observations could contribute to such improvements. ISCA will further develop its proprietary mosquito attractant in combination with a trapping device to attract and capture, specifically or preferentially, human-biting mosquitoes. Because Aedes mosquitoes affect the lives of millions of people worldwide, the market of such a mosquito trapping device will extend far beyond the US Army and public health services. It will include worldwide consumers concerned about the presence of Dengue vectors and possible infection. Because the proposed attractant can be produced inexpensively, ISCA will be able to offer these traps at an affordable price, which increases the potential for a widespread use in Dengue vector control.

"Increased global trade in conjunction with global warming has expanded the distribution of a variety of vectors of human diseases. ISCA's manipulation of lures for the exclusive attraction of mosquito vectors of Dengue and Yellow Fever will bring a novel set of tools with unsurpassed precision so vector control agents can better target their management actions. This development will transform the way mosquito management works, from remedial to preventive," says Dr. Agenor Mafra-Neto, CEO of ISCA Technologies.

ABOUT THE U.S. ARMY SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM

The SBIR Program is a Congressionally-mandated program which was established in 1982 (with subsequent reauthorizations in 1986, 1992, and 2000 until 2008) to increase the participation of small businesses in federal research and development (R&D). Each participating government agency must reserve 2.5% of its extramural R & D budget for competitively selected SBIR awards to small businesses. The goal of the dual-use SBIR Program is to tap into the innovativeness and creativity of the small business community to help meet government R&D objectives. At the same time, these small companies develop technologies, products, and services which they can then commercialize through sales in the private sector or back to the government.

The Army participates with the Navy, Air Force, and six other defense agencies under the overall DoD SBIR Program; however, the Army program is autonomous in that it seeks to support Army-specific goals within the framework of the DoD SBIR Program. The Army's FY01 SBIR budget of $135 million funded approximately 250 Phase I and 150 Phase II new starts.

return to News Releases