WO2012123909A1

WO2012123909A1 - Method and device for the prophylaxis and/or control and/or eradication of infestations by an etiologic agent

Info

Publication number: WO2012123909A1
Application number: PCT/IB2012/051209
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nabawy METWALY
Original assignee: Metwaly Nabawy
Priority date: 2011-03-15
Filing date: 2012-03-14
Publication date: 2012-09-20
Also published as: ITRM20110120A1

Abstract

The present invention refers to a method for the prophylaxis and/or control and/or eradication of infestations by an etiologic agent and to a trap device using such method. In particular, the present invention refers to a method and a trap device for the prophylaxis and/or control and/or eradication of infestations by insects, preferably by Rhynchophorus ferrugineus.

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR THE PROPHYLAXIS AND/OR CONTROL AND/OR ERADICATION OF INFESTATIONS BY AN ETIOLOGIC AGENT

DESCRIPTION

The present invention refers to a method for the prophylaxis and/or control and/or eradication of infestations by an etiologic agent and to a trap device utilizing such method. In particular, the present invention refers to a method and a trap device for the prophylaxis and/or control and/or eradication of infestations by insects, in particular by Rhynchophorus ferrugineus.

Partial or total elimination of organisms/microorganisms accountable for infestations proves to be particularly complex. In particular, the possibility of controlling, preventing and/or treating surplus populations in an environment, be it closed or not closed, is fundamental in order to guarantee the health of animal and plant species populating the environment itself. In most of the treatments aimed at eliminating a population from a given environment, use of substances harmful to humans is envisaged, substances which as such, therefore, entail clear drawbacks. From this perspective, suffice it to think to the use of DDT (dichlorodiphenyltnchloroethane) as insecticide and to the related consequences on human health, and not only on it.

Moreover, such treatments are rarely accompanied by a rapid and effective resolution of the problem, above all in case the environments to be decontaminated are very wide. For instance, over the last years infestation from Rhynchophorus ferrugineus has drawn specific attention worldwide, from Asia to Europe.

Rhynchophorus ferrugineus is a parasite originating from South-eastern Asia, able to infest several species of palm and to date reckoned to be the main one accountable for damages observed in palms in 51 different countries throughout the world, including Italy.

The rhynchophorus ferrugineus adult insect displays a typical reddish colouration with black stripes and is therefore commonly known as the 'red palm weevil'

The life cycle of the insect may last up to 300 days and does not correspond to a specific season, which is why it is possible to find insects at all stages of development on the same palm at the same time. The female of this species lays up to 300 eggs, possibly up to 500 in hot countries. The eggs hatch within a few days and the larvae feed on plant tissues, furrowing long tunnels towards the top of the plant. The fibrous cocoon is approximately 5 cm long.

Hibernation takes place inside the affected host/palm and therefore the insect is able to launch attacks at any time during the year.

The damage is caused by the young larvae, which destroy the tops of the plant as a result of their tunnels and may compromise the vitality of the palm until they cause it to fall. In particular, deterioration of some of the leaves is observed first, then the top offshoot disappears, and then the plant dies within 1-2 months! In hot countries the attack affects the stipe and the plants are generally destroyed in the space of 1 or 2 years. In hot countries the attack affects the stipe and the plants are generally destroyed in the space of 1 year.

In Italy the species of palm most frequently affected by said parasite are:

Phoenix canariensis

Phoenix dactylifera

Chamaerops spp

Washingtonia spp

In Europe, in at least 90% of cases, various stages can be recognised depending on the level of infestation:

Stage I - mild level of infestation: the leaves affected remain green and, in particular, those at the top of the plant are nibbled;

Stage II - medium level of infestation: the leaves affected show signs of withering, which causes asymmetry of the foliage;

Stage III/ IV - intense level of infestation: the foliage shows signs of collapse, and the top of the foliage becomes flat; the asymmetry and drying-out of the foliage are very evident;

Stage V/ VI - serious level of infestation: the foliage is completely collapsed and the plant adopts the characteristic shape of an umbrella to then dessiccate completely.

In hot countries the attack becomes apparent from the attack on the stipe immediately beneath the foliage. It is difficult to isolate the penetration openings and treatment is made difficult by the fact that the vessels are broken and therefore product translocation is not possible. An attack launched on the root apparatus is evidenced by the discharge of white, creamy liquid that turns brown with oxidation. An unpleasant smell of fermentation is characteristic.

Over the last years, various chemical and non-chemical approaches have been developed in order to be able to prevent and/or treat palm infestation by Rhynchophorus ferrugineus. Some studies, e.g., envisage the use of caryomone- - based traps allowing to capture the male insect by exploiting its hormone-induced call. However, the use of such traps entails operative drawbacks, though allowing to attain a reduction of the number of insects by mass capturing. In particular, the complete eradication of the infestation is necessarily bound to the capture of each individual insect. Therefore, it appears clear that such traps do not constitute a particularly effective method against Rhynchophorus ferrugineus.

Object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks not yet solved by the known art. This result has been achieved by a method for the prophylaxis and/or control and/or eradication of infestations by an etiologic agent as defined in claim 1. Additional features of the present method are defined in the corresponding dependent claims.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device for carrying out said method; said trap device is defined in claim 9 and in dependent claims thereof.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a kit for the prophylaxis and/or control and/or eradication of infestations by an etiologic agent as defined in claim 20.

The present invention, which overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks of the known art, entails numerous clear advantages.

Firstly, the method, as well as the trap device and the kit, allows to sterilize and infect the etiologic agent (preferably an insect) causing infestation, which once captured is subsequently freed. The entailed advantage consists in the possibility of acting even on agents, e.g. insects, not directly captured; in fact, besides the fact that the freed agent is sterilized and that, therefore, upon mating it will generate sterile eggs, by being concomitantly also infected with transmissible pathogens, it will spread the pathogen to the entire population with which it will directly or indirectly come in contact. It follows that the method described herein, the device implementing it and the kit, have an effectiveness much higher than the methods known in the art, as allowing to indirectly act also on non-captured etiologic agents.

Other advantages, as well as the features and modes of use of the present invention, will emerge from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of a non limiting example. Reference will be made to the figures of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

- Figure 1 is a general scheme of an embodiment of the device according to the present invention;

- Figure 2 is a scheme related to an alternative embodiment of the device according to the present invention;

- Figures 3A and 3B schematically depict some possible embodiments of the present invention;

- Figure 4 is a sectional view of a device according to the present invention;

- Figures 4A and 4B are sectional views of the device of Figure 4, taken respectively along lines A-A and B-B; and

- Figure 5 illustrates an exemplary mode of use of a device according to the present invention; and

Figure 6 shows a preferred embodiment of the device according to the present description.

The present description provides a method for the prophylaxis and/or control and/or eradication of infestations by an etiologic agent. In particular, by "prophylaxis" a method is meant whose object is to prevent the diffusion of an infestation, in this case by bacteria, viruses, fungi, but also by insects, of a given environment. By "control" in the present description is meant a method aimed at reducing the frequency of an infestation in a given environment. By "eradication" is meant a method by which a complete elimination of the etiologic agent of the infestation from a given environment is attained.

In particular, the method according to the present description comprises the steps of: capturing the etiologic agent causing infestation in a treatment site; sterilizing the captured etiologic agent; infecting the etiologic agent with a transmissible pathogen, and finally freeing the sterilized and infected etiologic agent.

Firstly, by "etiologic agent" in the present description are meant bacteria, fungi, viruses, but also insects, accountable for an infestation. Such an infestation is specifically related to environments, closed or open ones, such as lice infestation in a , school.

The capturing of the etiologic agent may be carried out according to any one method, or even known trap, not characterised by the killing of the agent itself. Clearly, the capturing e.g. of a generic insect is something at least within the reach of everyone, and therefore herein needs no further delving into.

By the verb "sterilize" it is meant to carry out an intervention by chemical and/or physical agents yielding, as end result, inability to reproduce.

In an embodiment, the step of sterilizing envisages an administration, preferably by ingestion, to the etiologic agent of a sterilizing chemical product. The sterilizing chemical product may be a natural and/or synthetic substance selected in the group of antimetabolites able to interfere with nucleic acid metabolism. According to an embodiment, the sterilizing substance is a chemosterilizing substance. According to a preferred embodiment, the chemosterilizing product is an antimetabolite of folic acid. Merely by way of example, a possible administration mode might be by water and/or food, so that the etiologic agent may take the sterilizing agent concomitantly to its feed. A person skilled in the art will be able, on the basis of information present in the known art, to trace the specific food for the type of etiologic agent of interest to be treated, and define, without any inventive effort, the concentrations of the substance utilized as sterilizing agent needed to induce the desired sterilizing effect.

The method also comprises the step of infecting the etiologic agent of interest with a transmissible and lethal pathogen. By "transmissible pathogen" a pathogen is meant which is able to pass from an infected subject to a non-infected subject, thereby causing infection of the latter as well. For instance, an insect, etiologic agent of a certain infestation, can be infected with a bacterial strain able to transfer itself also to "healthy" insects, with the consequent possibility of transmission to the entire insect population. Instead, by the term "lethal" a pathogen is meant whose action materializes in reducing the average half-life of the etiologic agent itself. According to an embodiment of the invention, the step of infecting envisages a contamination of the etiologic agent with fungi and/or bacteria and/or viruses.

In case the etiologic agent of the infestation is an insect, a preferred embodiment is that in which the bacteria and fungi belong respectively to the species Bacillus ,_s thuringiensis and Beauveria bassiana.

In particular, Beauveria bassiana is a species of fungus able to cause damage to different types of insects by acting as a parasite. The fungal spores, when in contact with the insect, penetrate its body, develop and kill it. After its death, a white efflorescence develops on the insect body, denoting the growth of new spores.

Bacillus thuringiensis is a species of sporogenic bacterium that, when ingested by the host, sporulates, releasing toxins which essentially damage the digestive tract. Therefore, a contamination by these species of the captured and subsequently freed insect allows to infect and kill also insects which are not trapped in the device 1 , accordingly producing its effect on a very high number of insects.

The method further envisages an optional step of attracting the etiologic agent in a treatment site. The attracting step has the purpose of increasing the number of microorganisms/organisms of the etiologic agent and therefore of increasing the effectiveness of the method, in terms of etiologic agents to be treated. Depending on the type of etiologic agent to be treated, the technician in the field will be able to identify, on the base of information present in the state of the art, the substance(s) to be utilized in the attracting step. According to a preferred embodiment, such step may , envisage the use of one or more hormones apt to attract the specific etiologic agent. As mentioned in the foregoing, the etiologic agent may be any one bacterium, virus, fungus, or even insect, accountable for an infestation.

Examples of etiologic agents according to the present invention are: Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, causing infestation in palms and red mite Dermanyssus gallinae, an agent accountable for lice infestation in humans.

In a preferred embodiment of the method, the etiologic agent is Rhynchophorus ferrugineus.

Object of the present description is also a trap device implementing the method of which in the foregoing. Referring firstly to Figure 1 , it schematically shows a trap device for etiologic agents causing infestations according to the present invention.

The device 1 firstly comprises at least one inlet opening 2 for allowing the inletting of insects inside the device itself, and at least one outlet opening 3 apt to guarantee the subsequent freeing of the sterilized and infected etiologic agent from the device 1 itself.

The device 1 in its inside has a combination of means allowing to be able to intervene by specific treatments on the reproduction process and on the half-life of etiologic agents, so as to obtain an effective intervention on the entire colony accountable for the infestation. For the definition of etiologic agent according to the present description, reference is made to what has already been defined hereto.

In particular, the device 1 comprises sterilizing means 4 and infecting means 5.

By the wording "sterilizing means" 4 it is meant any one chemical and/or physical agent whose action yields, as end result, the obtainment of living species, e.g. insects, unable to reproduce themselves.

In an embodiment of the invention, the sterilizing means 4 comprises at least one sterilizing agent selected in the group consisting in: natural and/or synthetic substance. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the chemical sterilizing agent is (RS)-1- [2,5-dichloro-4-(1 ,1 ,2,3,3,3-hexafluoropropoxy) phenyl]-3-(2,6- difluorobenzoyl)urea (lUPAC nomenclature), also known as Lufenuron (BSI, E-ISO).

The natural and/or synthetic substances may be selected in the group of antimetabolites able to interfere with nucleic acid metabolism. According to one embodiment, the sterilizing substances are chemosterilizing substances. According to a preferred embodiment, the chemosterilizing substances are antimetabolites of folic acid.

In order to ensure sterilization of all etiologic agents captured and then freed, the sterilizing means 4 may be, in case of chemical substances, e.g. such as the antimetabolite of folic acid, mixed with water and/or food, so that the agent itself may take them concomitantly to the feed by which it is attracted. The technician in the field will be able, on the basis of information present in the known art, to trace the specific food according to the etiologic agent to be treated, and define, without any inventive effort, the concentrations of the substance utilized as sterilizing agent needed to induce the desired sterilizing effect.

In addition, the sterilizing agent may also be utilized, by dispersing the same by at least one sprayer, preferably with a spraying automatically induced by the agent entering in a chamber and/or automatic, preferably every 2 seconds. By the wording - "infecting means" 5 in the present description, in general, chemical substances, viruses, fungi, bacteria are meant whose action yields as end result the obtainment of etiologic agents such as bacteria, fungi, viruses or insects having a half-life lower than the life cycle of the agent itself.

Taking into account the object of the present invention, the infecting means 5 may comprise bacteria and/or fungi belonging to genera and/or species able to infect the etiologic agent of interest and cause its death, e.g., a few weeks, days, hours after the same infecting. According to a preferred embodiment, bacteria and fungi belong respectively to the species Bacillus thuringiensis and Beauveria bassiana and/or Metarhizium anisopliae.

In order to guarantee an effective infection, the same infecting means 5 may comprise diffusing means 6 fostering the taking root of the same on the etiologic agent. By way of a non-limiting example, the diffusing means 6 may be spray diffusers, or foods polluted with the infecting (infection) agent, able to scatter inside the device 1 , preferably continuously, e.g., the contaminating bacteria and/or fungi. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the infecting means comprises at least one sprayer for the infecting or sterilizing agent, preferably with a spraying automatically induced by the (etiologic) agent entering the chamber. Alternatively, as described hereto for the sterilizing means 4, there may be envisaged the possibility of mixing the infecting agents in water and/or food.

According to an embodiment, the diffusing means 6 comprises at least one support for the contaminants, able to facilitate physical contact between the same infecting agents (the contaminating bacteria and/or fungi) and the etiologic agent to be treated. In a preferred embodiment, the diffusing means 6 comprises at least one comb-like (or brush-like) structure 7 whose teeth are partially or completely covered, e.g., with bacteria and/or fungi. The comb-like (or brush-like) structure 7 is positioned inside the device 1 , so that the agents causing the infestation, trapped therein, be unavoidably forced to touch the same comb-like structure 7, thereby infecting themselves. In this description it is not necessary to point out further technical details about the comb-like structure 7, since its position inside the device 1 , as well as its dimensions, and the comb teeth length, in turn depend on the dimensions of the device 1 itself. Anyhow, the technician in the field will be able to establish the features and the position of said structure 7 on the basis of the afore-indicated function it performs inside the device 1.

For instance, in the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the comb-like structure 7 is positioned adjacently to the outlet opening 3 so that, e.g., the insects be contaminated before exiting the device 1. According to this latter embodiment, it appears intuitive that the teeth of the comb-like structure 7 will be flexible enough to allow the exiting of the sterilized and infected agent from the device 1 with no particular difficulty. By way of example, and as illustrated in Figure 4B, such teeth may be comprised of paper elements whose length is sufficient to guarantee contact with the etiologic agent at the level of the outlet opening 3.

The entering of the etiologic agents in the trap device 1 may, possibly, be fostered by using different strategies. E.g., it is well-known to the technician in the field how specific substances, odours, perfumes, colours, etc. may act as a call for animals, insects included. From this perspective, therefore, there may be provided a device 1 comprising attracting means 8 specific for the etiologic agent causing the infestation of interest.

In particular, taking into account that the attracting effect of substances such as hormones is described in the literature, in an embodiment the attracting means 8 will comprise at least one hormone. In particular, said hormones comprise male and/or female pheromones. In the specific case of a trap designed for trapping male specimens, at least female hormone and/or pheromone will preferentially be utilized. In particular, the release of infected males fosters rapid diffusion of bacteria of fungi in the colony of said agents.

As pointed out above, as there are several strategies for attracting etiologic agents - let us also consider, e.g., the call effect generally had by food - any mode deemed by the technician in the field suitable for this purpose, even if not detailed in the present description, is to be construed as falling within the scope of the present invention. In particular, therefore, the pheromones may be, e.g., mixed with the food or feed present in the device 1. Moreover, it appears obvious that the technician in the field, without any inventive effort, will be able to position the attracting means 8 in a manner appropriate to their function, internally or externally to the device 1. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the attracting means 8 is present internally to the device 1 in which, e.g., the hormones may be inlet by systems analogous to those described above for the contamination means 5.

The overall effectiveness of the device 1 is linked, as mentioned hereto, to the possibility of indirect action also on agents which are not trapped. In fact, as highlighted in the present description, the captured etiologic agents are released only after having been sterilized and infected, and as such able to promote development of, e.g., sterile eggs and/or to extend the infection to other individuals of the population to which they belong, causing their subsequent death. In particular, it was experimentally demonstrated that death of infected agents occurs within 72-96 hours following direct or indirect infection. This result is achieved by the presence of transit means 9 for oneway transit, comprised in the device 1. The transit means 9 for one-way transit is apt to spread the etiologic agent in the device 1 and prevent the freeing thereof before the sterilizing and infecting treatment. In other terms, therefore, it is apt to guarantee that all captured agents be actually sterilized and infected when freed to the outside.

Therefore, by "one-way transit" with reference to the device 1 is meant that by the inlet opening 2 transit of agents is exclusively allowed from the outside environment to the inside of the device 1 , and that by the outlet opening 3 transit of agents is exclusively allowed from the inside of the device to the outside environment, and not vice versa. Spreading in the sole inlet opening 2-outlet opening 3 direction may be obtained by suitable one-way transit means 9. Merely by way of illustration, the transit means 9 may comprise one-way valve mechanisms, one-way elastic moduli, etc. In figure 4A it is schematically depicted a preferred embodiment of a one-way elastic modulus useful to the ends of the present invention. Moreover, in an embodiment of the invention, said at least inlet opening 2 and outlet opening 3 also comprise respectively at least one means apt to facilitate the agent's entering and exiting. Merely by way of example, such means may comprise, e.g., stairs.

As illustrated in Figures 1 , 2, 3A and 3B, the device 1 may be manufactured according to different designs, each of which however comprising at least one inlet opening 2, at least one outlet opening 3, sterilizing means 4, infecting means 5, transit means 9 and, optionally, the attracting means 8. Figure 1 shows a first embodiment in which the above-described means are all comprised in a single chamber.

Alternatively, Figure 2 shows a second embodiment in which the device 1 comprises two chambers communicating therebetween, wherein it is envisaged the presence of the attracting 8 and sterilizing 4 means in one chamber, and of the sole infecting means 5 in the other chamber .

It appears clear that it is possible to design the two-chamber device 1 with any type of combination related to the presence of the sterilizing means 4, of the infecting means 5 and, optionally, of the attracting means 8 in the same two chambers. Preferably, the device 1 , as shown in Figure 4, comprises three communicating chambers, each chamber respectively containing at least one inlet opening 2, at least one outlet opening 3 and means 8 for attracting in the first chamber, sterilizing means 4 in the second chamber and infecting means 5 in the third chamber, and wherein the transit means 9 is comprised in the inlet 2 and outlet 3 openings.

Also in the embodiment in which the device has three chambers, yet it is evident that also further alternative embodiments having a number of chambers greater than three may be envisaged, it is possible to consider either different combinations of means inside a same chamber and/or a different sequence of communicating chambers comprising different means. Therefore, in other words, when referring to the three- chamber device, the first chamber could contain in the first chamber attracting means 8 and/or sterilizing means 4 and/or infecting means 5, the second chamber attracting means 8 and/or sterilizing means 4 and/or infecting means 5, the third chamber attracting means 8 and/or sterilizing means 4 and/or infecting means 5. Moreover, in order to foster optimum humidity inside at least one of said chambers, the device and/or at least one chamber may comprise a source apt to produce a humid environment inside the chamber. In a preferred embodiment, optimum humidity to be reached inside said at least one chamber is of about 90%, and moreover the humidity source comprises at least one water-holding container.

The orientation in space of the chamber or of the communicating chambers of the device 1 may be vertical and/or horizontal, as exemplified in Figures 3A and 3B.

In an embodiment of the invention, the device may comprise an electronic counter for controlling the entering and/or the exiting of the captured agents, and/or of the sterilized and infected freed agents. In particular, this controlling may be carried out with any counting means deemed suitable by the technician in the field for this purpose. By way of a non-limiting example, such means may comprise one of more infrared (IR) photocells for counting.

In general, the device 1 may also comprise further functional and/or structural elements, able to guarantee operation thereof according to what has been indicated in the present description. As schematized in Figure 6, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the device 1 may comprise one inlet opening 2 and one outlet opening 3 with the respective stairs for entering 2' and exiting 3', a means 12 for diffusing attracting agents and, preferably inside a box at its bottom 1 1 , a battery, e.g. rechargeable, a water source, e.g. one or more containers with water, in order to foster internal humidity, and/or at least one counter, preferably an automatic electric counter with an IR cell, able to monitor the entering of the etiologic agent inside the chamber and/or at least one sprayer for the sterilizing agent, preferably with a spraying automatically induced by the agent's entering in the chamber and/or at least one container for the artificial feed, preferably mixed to male and/or female hormones.

It will appear clear that, to guarantee optimum operation of the device described herein, it is advisable to carry out over time the monitoring and checking of the elements it comprises. Therefore, e.g., it is appropriate to regularly check the availability of water, of food, of sterilizing agent of the device 1.

The technician in the field will be able, without any inventive effort, to establish the time intervals within which such checking and monitoring have to be carried out. The trap device 1 described herein is preferentially utilized against infestation by - insects, e.g., of environments in general and of plants, specifically of trees.

In particular, the trap device 1 may be utilized for the treatment of palms infested by Rhynchophorus ferrugineus.

According to a preferred embodiment, the insect to be captured and, therefore, trapped, belongs to the species Rhynchophorus ferrugineus. Since the trap device 1 is characterized by the freeing, e.g. of alive but sterile and infected insects, the setting up thereof should take place not directly on the palm to be treated. In other words, the setting up of the trap device 1 may also be carried out not directly on the palm itself, but inside the radius in which, reasonably, the insects to be captured roam, flying about. In an embodiment of the invention, as to the positioning method, the trap may be positioned facing the wind, on the ground and not directly in contact with the palm. This allows to attain a series of additional advantages; first, the possibility of intervening on plural palms at the same time, as shown in Figure 5; second, of preventing insects, called by the presence of any attracting means 8, from massively infecting the palm(s) to be treated.

Object of the present invention is also a kit for the prophylaxis and/or control and/or eradication of infestations by an etiologic agent. Such a kit, in particular, will comprise the actuating means required for carrying out the method according to what has been described in the foregoing. The technician in the field will be able, on the basis of what has been defined for the above method, to single out without any inventive effort the means suitable for carrying out the same method.

In an embodiment, the kit will further comprise the trap device 1 as meant in the present description. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the kit will also comprise at least one aliquot of a sterilization agent and/or at least one aliquot of an infection agent and/or at least one aliquot of attracting agent. The terms "sterilization agents", "infection agent" and "attracting agent" are to be understood as previously defined for the method and/or the device. Moreover, with regard to such agents, what has been described for the method and/or the device is to be understood, as applying likewise for the kit as well. Therefore, by way of example, yet without being limited thereto, the sterilizing agent may be mixed with, e.g., water and/or food, and be provided in the kit just as a mixture.

The present invention has been hereto described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof. It is understood that other embodiments might exist, all falling within the concept of the same invention, and all comprised within the protective scope of the claims hereinafter.

Claims

1. A method for the prophylaxis and/or control and/or eradication of infestations by an etiologic agent, comprising the steps of:

- capturing said etiologic agent in a treatment site;

- sterilizing said etiologic agent;

- infecting said etiologic agent with a transmissible and lethal pathogen;

- freeing said sterilized and infected etiologic agent.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising a step of attracting said etiologic agent in said treatment site.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said step of sterilizing envisages an administration to said etiologic agent of at least one sterilizing agent.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said at least one sterilizing agent is (RS)- 1-[2,5-dichloro-4-(1 ,1 ,2,3,3,3-hexafluoropropoxy) phenyl]-3-(2,6- difluorobenzoyl)urea

5. The method according to any one of the claims 1 to 4, wherein said infecting step envisages a contamination of said etiologic agent with fungi and/or bacteria and/or virus.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said fungi belong to the species Bacillus thuringiensis and said bacteria belong to the species Beauveria bassiana and/or Metarhizium anisopliae.

7. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein said step of attracting said etiologic agent envisages the use of one or more hormones apt to attract said etiologic agent.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said etiologic agent is Rhynchophorus ferrugineus.

9. A trap device (1) for trapping an etiologic agent of an infestation, comprising:

- at least one inlet opening (2) for inletting said etiologic agent;

- means (4) for sterilizing said etiologic agent;

- means (5) for infecting said etiologic agent by transmissible and lethal pathogens;

- at least one outlet opening (3) for outletting the sterilized and/or infected etiologic agent; and

- transit means (9) for the one-way transit of said etiologic agent in said device.

10. The device (1) according to claim 9, wherein said means (4) suitable for sterilizing comprises at least one sterilizing agent.

11. The device (1) according to claim 9 or 10, wherein said infecting means (5) comprises transmissible bacteria and/or fungi and/or virus.

12. The device (1) according to claim 1 , wherein said bacteria and/or fungi are respectively Bacillus thuringiensis and Beauveria bassiana.

13. The device (1) according to any one of the claims 9 to 12, wherein said infecting means (5) comprises means (6) for diffusing said bacteria and/or fungi.

14. The device (1) according to claim 13, wherein said diffusing means (6) comprises at least one comb-like structure (7).

15. The device (1) according to claim 14, wherein said at least one comb-like structure (7) is positioned adjacently to the outlet opening (3) so that said etiologic agent be contaminated before exiting said device (1).

16. The device (1 ) according to any one of the claims 9 to 15, further comprising means (8) for attracting said etiologic agent.

17. The device (1) according to claim 16, wherein said means (8) for attracting said etiologic agent comprises at least one hormone.

18. The device (1 ) according to any one of the claims 9 to 17, comprising at least two chambers communicating therebetween and respectively containing at least one inlet opening (2), at least one outlet opening (3) and said sterilizing means (4) and/or said infecting means (5) and/or said attracting means (8), and said transit means (9) wherein said transit means (9) is included in said inlet (2) and/or outlet (3) opening.

19. The device (1 ) according to any one of the claims 9 to 18, wherein said etiologic agent belong to the species Rhynchophorus ferrugineus.

■·.

20. A kit for the prophylaxis and/or control and/or eradication of infestations by an etiologic agent comprising means for carrying out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

21. The kit according to claim 20, further comprising the trap device 1 according to any one of the claims 9 to 19.

22. The kit according to claim 20 or 21 , further comprising at least one aliquot of a sterilization agent and/or at least one aliquot of an infection agent and/or at least one aliquot of attracting agent.