Fig. 2: Behavioural responses of Ae. aegypti females to synthetic odours singularly and as blends corresponding to those released from ZIKV infected fibroblast tissue culture at two different stages, invasion and transmission.

a Schematic model of invasion and transmission blends’ effects on mosquito host-seeking behaviour using a free-flight arena and 3D-tracking system. b Attraction of Ae. aegypti to ZIKV related-VOCs of invasion blend [×10 concentration: χ² = 7.21, p = 0.007]. c, d Attraction of Ae. aegypti to single compounds, 4-Methylheptane [χ² = 9.72, p = 0.002] and 2,4-Dimethyl-1-heptene [χ² = 7.20, P = 0.007] the amounts of these two compounds increased significantly in the invasion blend of the ZIKV compared to those in uninfected cells. e–g Attraction of females to single compounds, which amounts increased significantly in both invasion and transmission blends (ZIKV VOCs at invasion and transmission stages) compared to those in uninfected cells, Decanal [χ² = 6.02, p = 0.01], Dodecanal [χ² = 15.45, p < 0.001], and Sulcatone [χ² = 7.20, p = 0.007]. h Attraction of Ae. aegypti to ZIKV related-VOCs of transmission blend [×10 concentration: χ² = 0·14, p = 0·001]. i Attraction of Ae. aegypti to a single compound, 2- Methyl-1-pentene [χ² = 8.9, p = 0.003], which amounts increased significantly only in the transmission blend compared to those in uninfected cells. These experiments were done in triplicate (random effect). Significant effects were determined using GLMM models (lmer) [in each experimental replicate: n = 30: In total n = 90]; Bars represented by β-estimation generated by the mixed model ± SE (β-lmer ± SE); asterisks denote significant differences (*p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001; ns, non-significant).