ContraPest

Last updated
ContraPest
Type Pest control
Manufacturer SenesTech
Available2004 (2004)
Website senestech.com/pages/contrapest-liquid

ContraPest is a contraceptive-based pest control tool that causes infertility in brown and black rats. It was originally created to supplement existing rodent control strategies and is formulated as a sweet liquid that appeals to rats. [1] It is developed by the U.S. biotechnology company SenesTech. [2]

Contents

ContraPest does not sterilize rats permanently; therefore, a continuous supply of the product is required to be effective. [3] In field tests, SenesTech claims that using ContraPest led to a reduction in rat populations by approximately 40% over a period of 12 weeks or longer. [2] In August 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved ContraPest for commercial use. [4]

Mechanism

The formula was originally developed by Drs. Loretta Mayer and Cheryl Dyer as part of a research program studying heart disease in post-menopausal women using menopausal mice. [5] The first active ingredient of ContraPest is 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD), which causes destruction of the antral follicle during folliculogenesis in the female ovary. [6] [7] ContraPest also contains triptolide, which has been reported to reduce male rat fertility by reducing sperm motility and viability. [2] [8] [9]

Studies conducted by SenesTech claim to demonstrate that prolonged consumption of ContraPest led to a significant decrease in rat fertility. Rats exposed to ContraPest for 50 days experienced infertility lasting up to 100 days, with reduced litter sizes in those that could still reproduce. [1]

A 2020 short-term laboratory trial with wild-caught adult black rats from Hawai'i indicated that exposure to ContraPest bait resulted in complete reproductive inhibition for at least 15 consecutive days before mating and throughout a 43-day breeding cycle. The effect persisted through a second breeding cycle, with partial suppression evident in a third cycle. However, fertility rebounded by the fourth cycle. It is uncertain whether the contraceptive effect affects males or females, given that the treatment impacts both sexes. Control group reproduction was not 100%, potentially due to factors like adjustment to captivity or incomplete fertility in the source population. ContraPest did not induce permanent infertility, suggesting it is a contraceptive rather than a sterilant. [10]

Toxicity studies on ContraPest in other animals have revealed few adverse effects. The active ingredients metabolize quickly, typically within 15 minutes. Thus, if a dog or cat consumed a rat that had recently ingested ContraPest, it might experience temporary infertility as a minor side effect. [1]

Use

The city of Washington D.C. was utilizing a 5,000 unit, four-year supply of ContraPest to be used in all eight wards of the city in an attempt to combat the increasing rat population in 2020. [11] Local news reported that the district was unsure of the company's early claims of success in rat control. [12] Trials in the New York City Subway system have suggested ContraPest's efficacy in reducing brown rat populations. [10]

In 2024, a City Council bill in New York proposed deploying contraceptive pellets, including ContraPest, to sterilize both male and female rats in designated areas, aiming to reduce the rat population. [13] On September 26, the city council approved pilot programs to use the contraceptive in an effort to reduce its rodent population. The initiative marked a potential shift in the city's long-standing strategy against its rat infestation and was inspired by the death of Flaco the Owl, which raised concerns about rat poison effects. [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rat</span> Several genera of rodents

Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents. Species of rats are found throughout the order Rodentia, but stereotypical rats are found in the genus Rattus. Other rat genera include Neotoma, Bandicota and Dipodomys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black rat</span> Species of rodent

The black rat, also known as the roof rat, ship rat, or house rat, is a common long-tailed rodent of the stereotypical rat genus Rattus, in the subfamily Murinae. It likely originated in the Indian subcontinent, but is now found worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brown rat</span> Species of common rat

The brown rat, also known as the common rat, street rat, sewer rat, wharf rat, Hanover rat, Norway rat and Norwegian rat, is a widespread species of common rat. One of the largest muroids, it is a brown or grey rodent with a body length of up to 28 cm (11 in) long, and a tail slightly shorter than that. It weighs between 140 and 500 g. Thought to have originated in northern China and neighbouring areas, this rodent has now spread to all continents except Antarctica, and is the dominant rat in Europe and much of North America. With rare exceptions, the brown rat lives wherever humans live, particularly in urban areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">In vitro fertilisation</span> Assisted reproductive technology procedure

In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a process of fertilisation in which an egg is combined with sperm in vitro. The process involves monitoring and stimulating a woman's ovulatory process, then removing an ovum or ova from her ovaries and enabling a man's sperm to fertilise them in a culture medium in a laboratory. After a fertilised egg (zygote) undergoes embryo culture for 2–6 days, it is transferred by catheter into the uterus, with the intention of establishing a successful pregnancy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Family planning</span> Planning when to have children

Family planning is the consideration of the number of children a person wishes to have, including the choice to have no children, and the age at which they wish to have them. Things that may play a role on family planning decisions include marital situation, career or work considerations, financial situations. If sexually active, family planning may involve the use of contraception and other techniques to control the timing of reproduction.

Fertility in colloquial terms refers the ability to have offspring. In demographic contexts, fertility refers to the actual production of offspring, rather than the physical capability to reproduce, which is termed fecundity. The fertility rate is the average number of children born during an individual's lifetime. In medicine, fertility refers to the ability to have children, and infertility refers to difficulty in reproducing naturally. In general, infertility or subfertility in humans is defined as not being able to conceive a child after one year of unprotected sex. The antithesis of fertility is infertility, while the antithesis of fecundity is sterility.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesser bandicoot rat</span> Species of rodent

The lesser bandicoot rat, Sindhi rice rat, Bengal rat or Indian mole-rat is a giant rat of Southern Asia, not related to the true bandicoots which are marsupials. They can be up to 40 cm long, are considered a pest in the cereal crops and gardens of India and Sri Lanka, and emit piglike grunts when attacking. The name bandicoot is derived from the Telugu language word pandikokku, which translates loosely to "pig-rat". Like the better known rats in the genus Rattus, bandicoot rats are members of the family Muridae. Their fur is dark or (rarely) pale brown dorsally, occasionally blackish, and light to dark grey ventrally. The head-body length is around 250 mm, and the uniformly dark tail is shorter than the head-body length.

Wildlife contraceptives, sometimes referred to as wildlife fertility control, are contraceptives used to regulate the fertility of wild animals. They are used to control population growth of certain wild animals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Folliculogenesis</span> Process of maturation of primordial follicles

In biology, folliculogenesis is the maturation of the ovarian follicle, a densely packed shell of somatic cells that contains an immature oocyte. Folliculogenesis describes the progression of a number of small primordial follicles into large preovulatory follicles that occurs in part during the menstrual cycle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ovarian reserve</span>

Ovarian reserve is a term that is used to determine the capacity of the ovary to provide egg cells that are capable of fertilization resulting in a healthy and successful pregnancy. With advanced maternal age, the number of egg cell that can be successfully recruited for a possible pregnancy declines, constituting a major factor in the inverse correlation between age and female fertility.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Female infertility</span> Diminished or absent ability of a female to achieve conception

Female infertility refers to infertility in women. It affects an estimated 48 million women, with the highest prevalence of infertility affecting women in South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa/Middle East, and Central/Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Infertility is caused by many sources, including nutrition, diseases, and other malformations of the uterus. Infertility affects women from around the world, and the cultural and social stigma surrounding it varies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lactational amenorrhea</span> Post-partum infertility due to breast feeding

Lactational amenorrhea, also called postpartum infertility, is the temporary postnatal infertility that occurs when a woman is amenorrheic and fully breastfeeding.

Poor ovarian reserve is a condition of low fertility characterized by 1): low numbers of remaining oocytes in the ovaries or 2) possibly impaired preantral oocyte development or recruitment. Recent research suggests that premature ovarian aging and premature ovarian failure may represent a continuum of premature ovarian senescence. It is usually accompanied by high FSH levels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birth control</span> Method of preventing human pregnancy

Birth control, also known as contraception, anticonception, and fertility control, is the use of methods or devices to prevent unintended pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth control only became available in the 20th century. Planning, making available, and using human birth control is called family planning. Some cultures limit or discourage access to birth control because they consider it to be morally, religiously, or politically undesirable.

Female fertility is affected by age and is a major fertility factor for women. A woman's fertility is in generally good quality from the late teens to early thirties, although it declines gradually over time. Around 35, fertility is noted to decline at a more rapid rate. At age 45, a woman starting to try to conceive will have no live birth in 50–80 percent of cases. Menopause, or the cessation of menstrual periods, generally occurs in the 40s and 50s and marks the cessation of fertility, although age-related infertility can occur before then. The relationship between age and female fertility is sometimes referred to as a woman's "biological clock."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Induced ovulation (animals)</span> Ovulation in response to an external stimulus

Induced ovulation occurs in some animal species that do not ovulate cyclically or spontaneously. Ovulation can be induced by externally-derived stimuli during or before mating, such as sperm, pheromones, or mechanical stimulation during copulation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vinylcyclohexene dioxide</span> Chemical compound

4-Vinylcyclohexene dioxide (VCD) is an organic compound that contains two epoxide functional groups. It is industrially used as a crosslinking agent for the production of epoxy resins. It is a colourless liquid. It is an intermediate for synthesis of organic compounds.

Human reproductive ecology is a subfield in evolutionary biology that is concerned with human reproductive processes and responses to ecological variables. It is based in the natural and social sciences, and is based on theory and models deriving from human and animal biology, evolutionary theory, and ecology. It is associated with fields such as evolutionary anthropology and seeks to explain human reproductive variation and adaptations. The theoretical orientation of reproductive ecology applies the theory of natural selection to reproductive behaviors, and has also been referred to as the evolutionary ecology of human reproduction.

SenesTech, Inc. is an agricultural biotechnology life-sciences company, specializing in fertility management as a form of pest control. The company's primary product, ContraPest is designed to make brown and black rats infertile. SenesTech is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.

Female fertility agents are medications that improve female’s ability to conceive pregnancy. These agents are prescribed for infertile female who fails to conceive pregnancy after 1-year of regular and unprotected sexual intercourse. The following will cover the advancements of female fertility agents, major causes of female infertility. Next, it emphasizes on common female fertility agents in terms of their mechanism of action, side effects, fetal consideration and clinical application and ended up by the introduction of supplements and herbal medicines for female infertility.

References

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  2. 1 2 3 "Man v rat: could the long war soon be over?". The Guardian. 2016-09-20. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2016-09-21.
  3. "FAQ | Senestech" . Retrieved 2019-03-07.
  4. "ContraPest Rodent Control Product Wins EPA Approval". Pest Control Technology, GIA Media, Inc. 12 August 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  5. "Loretta Mayer: Features - Executive Profile". Pest Control Technology. 2018-12-11. Retrieved 2019-03-07.
  6. Kappeler, Connie J.; Hoyer, Patricia B. (2012-02-01). "4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide: a model chemical for ovotoxicity". Systems Biology in Reproductive Medicine. 58 (1): 57–62. doi:10.3109/19396368.2011.648820. ISSN   1939-6376. PMC   3307534 . PMID   22239082.
  7. Takai, Yasushi; Canning, Jacqueline; Perez, Gloria I.; Pru, James K.; Schlezinger, Jennifer J.; Sherr, David H.; Kolesnick, Richard N.; Yuan, Junying; Flavell, Richard A. (2003-01-01). "Bax, caspase-2, and caspase-3 are required for ovarian follicle loss caused by 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide exposure of female mice in vivo". Endocrinology. 144 (1): 69–74. doi: 10.1210/en.2002-220814 . ISSN   0013-7227. PMID   12488331.
  8. Lue, Y.; Sinha Hikim, A. P.; Wang, C.; Leung, A.; Baravarian, S.; Reutrakul, V.; Sangsawan, R.; Chaichana, S.; Swerdloff, R. S. (1998). "Triptolide: a potential male contraceptive". Journal of Andrology. 19 (4): 479–486. doi:10.1002/j.1939-4640.1998.tb02042.x. ISSN   0196-3635. PMID   9733151.
  9. Singla, Neena; Challana, Swati (2014). "Reproductive Toxicity of Triptolide in Male House Rat, Rattus rattus". The Scientific World Journal. 2014: 1–6. doi: 10.1155/2014/879405 . ISSN   2356-6140. PMC   4211135 . PMID   25374942.
  10. 1 2 Siers, Shane R.; Sugihara, Robert T.; Leinbach, Israel L.; Pyzyna, Brandy R.; Witmer, Gary W. (2020). "Laboratory Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Fertility Control Bait ContraPest® on Wild-Captured Black Rats (Rattus rattus)". Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference. 29 (29). ISSN   0507-6773.
  11. "SenesTech Announces Progress and Expansion of Washington DC ContraPest® Deployment". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). SenesTech. PR Newswire. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
  12. "Is Rat Birth Control Working in DC?". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  13. Fitzsimmons, Emma G. (2024-04-10). "The Next Frontier in New York's War on Rats: Birth Control". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  14. "New York greenlights rat birth control to curb city's infestation". The Guardian. 2024-09-27. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2024-09-30.