Liposomal Delivery System for Beauveria bassiana Strain GHA spores to bed bugs.

Abstract

A breakable pearl containing a spore that, when activated, produces a fungus that is fatal to bed bugs, and a protective cover that prevents water from reaching the spore and causing it to germinate prematurely. Pearls are sprayed onto floors and furniture, and the spores are released only when the pearls are broken by bed bugs walking across them. The pearls have a water-resistant outer cover and a fragile inner cover such that they can be crushed by bed bugs walking over them. The pearls can be applied through traditional sprayers or as infused on one side of adhesive tape. When a bed bug touches the pearl, it breaks and the spore attaches itself to the bed bug's oily skin. Since it takes up to two weeks for the fungus to kill the bed bug, it will infect other bed bugs before it dies.

Claims

1. A compound for delivery of a spore to a bed bug, consisting of: a spore and a covering, where, the spore has an inactive state and an active state, where the active state is caused by contact with a bed bug, where the spore in the active state creates a fungus, where the fungus kills the bed bug, where the covering comprises a water-resistant outer layer, and a delicate inner layer, such that the active state is not triggered until the bed bug comes into contact with the compound, where the delicate inner layer can be broken by the weight of an average bed bug, where the spore is attracted to oily surfaces, where the bed bug has an oily skin, and where the spore is capable of adhering to the oil skin of the bed bug, additionally comprising a core, where the core is a liquid lipid core, where the compound additionally comprises a carrier.

2. The compound of claim 1, where spore is a wettable powder and the carrier is water.

3. The compound of claim 1, where the carrier is a combination of sugar and dry oil, where the spore, the sugar and the dry oil are heated, where hydrogen gas is added to the compound, and where a spore infused hydrogenated encapsulation is created.

4. The compound of claim 1, additionally comprising an adhesive tape for the control of bed bugs, comprising a strip of adhesive tape and an exposed powder, where the strip of adhesive tape is infused on a top side with the exposed powder, where the exposed power comprises a spore and a covering, where, the spore has an inactive state and an active state, where the active state is caused by contact with a bed bug, where the spore in the active state creates a fungus, where the fungus kills the bed bug.

5. The compounds of claim 1, where the spore is Beauveria bassiana Strain GHA.

6. A compound for delivery of a spore to a bed bug, comprising: a spore and a covering, where, the spore has an inactive state and an active state, where the active state is caused by contact with a bed bug, where the spore in the active state creates a fungus, where the fungus kills the bed bug.

7. The compound of claim 6, where the covering comprises a water-resistant outer layer, and a delicate inner layer, such that the active state is not triggered until the bed bug comes into contact with the compound.

8. The compound of claim 7, where the delicate inner layer can be broken by the weight of an average bed bug.

9. The compound of claim 8, where the spore is attracted to oily surfaces, where the bed bug has an oily skin, and where the spore is capable of adhering to the oil skin of the bed bug.

10. The compound of claim 9, where the spore is Beauveria bassiana Strain GHA.

11. The compound of claim 9, where the outer layer is hydrophobic and the inner layer is surfactant monolayer.

12. The compound of claim 11, additionally comprising a core, where the core is a liquid lipid core.

13. The compound of claim 11, additionally comprising a core, where the core is a solid lipid core.

14. The compound of claim 9, where the compound additionally comprises a carrier.

15. The compound of claim 14, where spore is a wettable powder and the carrier is water.

16. The compound of claim 15, where the compound can be applied using a traditional sprayer.

17. The compound of claim 14, where the carrier is a combination of sugar and dry oil, where the spore, the sugar and the dry oil are heated, where hydrogen gas is added to the compound, and where a spore infused hydrogenated encapsulation is created.

18. The compound of claim 17, where the compound can be applied using a traditional sprayer.

19. The compound of claim 6, additionally comprising an adhesive tape for the control of bed bugs, comprising a strip of adhesive tape and an exposed powder, where the strip of adhesive tape is infused on a top side with the exposed powder, where the exposed power comprises a spore and a covering, where, the spore has an inactive state and an active state, where the active state is caused by contact with a bed bug, where the spore in the active state creates a fungus, where the fungus kills the bed bug.

20. A device for the liposomal delivery of Beauveria bassiana Strain GHA spores to bed bugs, comprising: a spore of a strain of Beauveria bassiana, and a pearl coating, where the peal coating protects the spore from water, and where the pearl coating releases the spore upon breaking, thereby infecting a bed bug.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0059] One preferred form of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0060] FIG. 1 is several views of some of the pearls used to enclose a deadly spore with a capsule that would selectively release the spore at an optimum time.

[0061] FIG. 2 side view of a bed bug exterminator spraying a large number of pearls under a bed.

[0062] FIG. 3 is a side view of some spores being put into a solution prior to creation of the pearls.

[0063] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a spore capsule.

[0064] FIG. 5 is a side view of a bed bug walking over some pearls

[0065] FIG. 6 is a side view of a bed bug becoming infected with the spore.

[0066] FIG. 7 is a side view of a bed bug which has died of the spore.

[0067] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of some wettable powder that is used in creating the invention.

[0068] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a pile of application powder.

[0069] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a powdered adhesive strip that have been infused with powder containing the spores that are fatal to bed bugs.

[0070] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the contents of the spore-carrier mixture being put into a mixing reservoir in preparation for being sprayed in a bedbug infested area, or into an area where the user of the invention wishes to prevent future bed bug infestations.

[0071] FIG. 12 is a front view of spore-containing powder being applied to a wall socket.

[0072] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a bed being protected with lines of adhesive tape infused with bed bug-killing powder.

[0073] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the edges of a room being inoculated with a spore/carrier mixture.

[0074] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a healthy bed bug crossing a treated area and becoming infected by the spores.

[0075] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a healthy bed bug crossing a strip of powdered adhesive tape and becoming infected by the spores.

[0076] FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the creation of a hydrogenated dry oil/spore composition in preparation for spraying.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0077] Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with references made to the drawings below. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Instead, emphasis is placed upon clearly illustrating the components of the present invention. Moreover, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts through the several views in the drawings. Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention are not limited in their application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The embodiments of the invention are capable of being practiced and carried out in various ways. In addition, the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

[0078] FIG. 1 is several views of some of the pearls used to enclose a deadly spore with a capsule that would selectively release the spore at an optimum time. In one version, a hydrophobic core 1 keeps water away from the spore protected inside. In a second figure, a lipid bilayer 2 protects a liquid aqueous core 3. In yet another embodiment, a surfactant monolayer 4 protects a liquid lipid core, and a solid lipid core 5.

[0079] FIG. 2 side view of a bed bug exterminator spraying a large number of pearls in a spore/liquid mixture 7 under a bed through a commercial sprayer.

[0080] FIG. 3 is a side view of some spores 9 being put into a solution 8 prior to creation of the pearls.

[0081] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of another embodiment of the spore capsule. In this figure, a carrier solution 12 carries the spore to a spore-infused lipid 11, that is held and protected by a microencapsulation wall 10.

[0082] FIG. 5 is a side view of a bed bug 13 walking over some pearls 14. While bed bugs may seem small to the human eye, they are relatively huge (and heavy) when compared to the pearls, and in between the pearls sticking to the bed bug's oily skin, and the pearls that are crushed by the bed bug walking on them, plenty of the spores make their way onto the bed bug's skin, where they germinate and the resulting fungus kills the bed bug.

[0083] FIG. 6 is a side view of a bed bug becoming infected with the spores 14. Since it takes the bed bug a week or two to die from the fungus, the infected bed bug 15 has plenty of time to interact with other bed bugs and pass on the fungus to them.

[0084] FIG. 7 is a side view of a bed bug that has died of the activated spores 16. Since the spores are not activated until the bed bugs walk over them, the “hibernating” spores can survive for years, just waiting for a bed bug to walk by and contact them.

[0085] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of some wettable powder 17 that is used in creating the invention.

[0086] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a pile of application powder 18.

[0087] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a powdered adhesive strip 20 that has been infused with powder 20 containing the spores that are fatal to bed bugs.

[0088] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the contents of the spore-carrier mixture being put into a mixing reservoir in preparation for being sprayed in a bedbug infested area, or into an area where the user of the invention wishes to prevent future bed bug infestations. A wettable powder 17 is mixed with water in a conventional sprayer, creating the spore/liquid mixture 7, which is then applied to an area infested with bed bugs, or as a preventative measure to an area where the user is concerned about future infestations.

[0089] FIG. 12 is a front view of spore-containing powder being applied to a wall socket.

[0090] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a bed being protected with lines of adhesive tape 19 infused with bed bug-killing powder 20. By laying lines of this tape around a mattress, bed bugs which come out from their daytime hiding places will be infected as they cross over the lines of tape. Since bed bugs like to hide in narrow, dark crevasses, the adhesive tape 19 is very effective in creating a fatal barrier between the bed bugs' daytime hideout, and the people sleeping on top of the mattress.

[0091] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the edges of a room being inoculated with a spore/carrier mixture 7.

[0092] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a healthy bed bug 13 crossing a treated area and becoming infected by the spores. Once the bed bug crosses the treated area, it becomes infected, and the infected bed bug 15 will then spread the fungus to other bed bugs it comes into contact with.

[0093] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a healthy bed bug 13 crossing a strip of powdered adhesive tape 19 and becoming infected 16 by the spores 14 that were inactive until the bed bug crossed over them, at which point they stuck to the bed bug's skin and became activated spores 16. As with the other embodiments of this invention, once the bed bug crosses the treated area, it becomes infected, and the infected bed bug 15 will then spread the fungus to other bed bugs it comes into contact with until it dies one or two weeks later.

[0094] FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the creation of a hydrogenated dry oil/spore composition in preparation for spraying. A solution of spores 9, sugar 22 and dry oil 21 is heated with hydrogen gas 23 to create a spore infused hydrogenated encapsulation 24. This provides a pearl with a water-resistant outer shell with an easily crushed inner shell, such that the mixture can be sprayed anywhere, but the spores will not be activated until broken by a bed bug or until they attach the oily skin of a bed bug.

[0095] The basic goal of this invention is to kill bed bugs through a liposomal delivery of a deadly (to bed bugs) strain called Beauveria bassiana Strain GHA, in the form of spores, to bed bugs.

[0096] Bed Bugs are very susceptible to the fungus Beauveria bassiana, however the spore of this fungus is easily destroyed by germination without being attached to a host insect. Thus, it is the goal of this invention to cause more of these deadly spores to germinate while attached to the bed bug. Even too much moisture in the air can start the germination process giving the spore a short life of only a few days.

[0097] This life span can be dramatically increased by storing the spores in evaporated oil. The low water content in the oil along with the oil protecting the spore from the elements greatly increases the spore's life to 1 to 2 years. However, in this form it is inefficient and unsightly to apply oil directly to surfaces in a home to target bed bugs. Also, standard pest control equipment mostly relies on water-based, pressurized sprayers to apply pesticides to the environment in which bed bugs live. This would mean that with current commonly used equipment, Beauveria bassiana would be exposed to the water, thereby rendering it ineffective within days of application. Considering that an average of two months of residual treatment is needed to be effective in a successful bed bug extermination, the life of the spore must be protected by additional human intervention through a process of delivery that will protect the spore and yet not leave unsightly residues (such as oil stains) on the furniture or floor of the area being treated. By making micro-encapsulated oil droplets with either single or multiple layers of “protection”, the spore can be safely delivered to the bed bug over a period of several months after application.

[0098] The theory behind this invention is to employ liposomal encapsulation to allow the hydrophobic/lipophilic Beauveria bassiana Strain GHA or other strains of Beauveria bassiana spores to be delivered in an aqueous delivery system while protecting the spores from being exposed to water. The spore is suspended in an oil that has been dried of most of its water content. The liposomes are composed of a phospholipid surfactant that encapsulates the lipophilic/hydrophobic carrier and the spores inside the surrounding phospholipid layer that is arranged with the lipophilic/hydrophobic tail surrounding the spore with infused oil and the hydrophilic head facing the aqueous outer environment.

[0099] The liposomes will be dispersed in the aqueous carrier in a stable system that will have 12-to-24-month shelf-life. The liposomal system will be sprayed inside the contaminated area and will deposit the lipid droplets containing the active spores which will be subsequently adsorbed onto the bedbugs after they pass over the spores. FIG. 1 gives a general picture of a liposome particle with the carrier and the spores entrapped in the central portion of the circle. As the bed bug passes over lipids, they are easily broken by the bug activity. This exposes the bug to the oil that is infused with Beauveria bassiana spores. The cuticles of the bedbug naturally wick oil into them, allowing the spore to be delivered efficiently.

[0100] It is common knowledge that Beauveria bassiana is toxic to insects and will result in mortality. The goal here is to provide a method of delivery of the spore through common water-based sprayers used in the pest control industry as a delivery method without getting Beauveria bassiana wet. When exposed to water, the spore will germinate and dies.

[0101] Another purpose is that you could use an oil-only suspension as used in the Apperhend product. However, this leaves unsightly wet looking residue of oil on surfaces. Also, primary location bed bugs are found on are fiber type surfaces for example beds and couches. The oil if not encapsulated will wick into the fiber leaving the spore on the surface exposed to the environment causing treatments to most important areas less effective. Also, the encasement will protect against humidity which is listed on Apperhend's label will reduce the life of the effectiveness of the product. The oil will absorb water from humidity, causing the spores to germinate before finding a host. Using the encapsulation method is the only way that makes sense for a long-lasting product with a long-lasting residual in an infested environment.

[0102] There are a number of different embodiments contemplated, as can be seen in FIG. 1. The general concept is that an outer polymer holds pearl together after drying. The bigger the pearl, that easier it is to break as the bed bug walks over it, at which point the virus escapes and infects the bedbug.

[0103] The general concept is to provide a compound for delivery of a spore to a bed bug, comprising: a spore and a covering, where, the spore has an inactive state and an active state, where the active state is caused by contact with a bed bug, where the spore in the active state creates a fungus, where the fungus kills the bed bug, where the covering comprises a water-resistant outer layer, and a delicate inner layer, such that the active state is not triggered until the bed bug comes into contact with the compound, where the delicate inner layer can be broken by the weight of an average bed bug, where the spore is attracted to oily surfaces, where the bed bug has an oily skin, and where the spore is capable of adhering to the oil skin of the bed bug, additionally comprising a core, where the core is a liquid lipid core, where the compound additionally comprises a carrier.

[0104] The spore can be a wettable powder and the carrier can be water, or the carrier can be a combination of sugar and dry oil, where the spore, the sugar and the dry oil are heated, where hydrogen gas is added to the compound, and where a spore infused hydrogenated encapsulation is created.

[0105] It is also contemplated that the same technology can be used in an adhesive tape for the control of bed bugs, comprising a strip of adhesive tape and an exposed powder, where the strip of adhesive tape is infused on a top side with the exposed powder, where the exposed power comprises a spore and a covering, where, the spore has an inactive state and an active state, where the active state is caused by contact with a bed bug, where the spore in the active state creates a fungus, where the fungus kills the bed bug.

[0106] In a preferred embodiment, the spore is Beauveria bassiana Strain GHA, although other spores capable of directly or indirectly killing bed bugs are contemplated.

[0107] There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. The features listed herein and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0108] It should be understood the while the preferred embodiments of the invention are described in some detail herein, the present disclosure is made by way of example only and that variations and changes thereto are possible without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, and a reasonable equivalency thereof, which claims I regard as my invention.

[0109] It should be understood that while the preferred embodiments of the invention are described in some detail herein, the present disclosure is made by way of example only and that variations and changes thereto are possible without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, and a reasonable equivalency thereof, which claims I regard as my invention.

[0110] All of the material in this patent document is subject to copyright protection under the copyright laws of the United States and other countries. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in official governmental records but, otherwise, all other copyright rights whatsoever are reserved.

REFERENCE NUMBERS USED

[0111] 1. Hydrophobic core. [0112] 2. Lipid bilayer [0113] 3. Liquid aqueous core [0114] 4. Surfactant monolayer [0115] 5. Liquid lipid core [0116] 6. Solid lipid core [0117] 7. Spore/liquid mixtures [0118] 8. Solution [0119] 9. Spore [0120] 10. Microencapsulation Wall [0121] 11. Spore-infused lipid [0122] 12. Carrier Solution [0123] 13. Bed Bug [0124] 14. Inactivated spores [0125] 15. Infested Bed Bug [0126] 16. Activated spores [0127] 17. Wettable powder [0128] 18. Pile of Application powder [0129] 19. Powdered adhesive strip [0130] 20. Exposed powder [0131] 21. Dry oil [0132] 22. Sugar [0133] 23. Hydrogen gas [0134] 24. Spore infused hydrogenated encapsulation