Insecticides resistance status in Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus from Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract

Aedes‐borne disease in Pakistan drew the attention after the dengue outbreak in Lahore in 2011, leaving thousands hospitalized and around 300 deaths. Since then many small and big outbreaks have been reported from various parts of the country. The only available and mostly used mosquito control strategy in Pakistan is the use of neurotoxic chemicals. Pyrethroid deltamethrin and permethrin were extensively used for adults’ control along with organophosphate temephos as a larvicide during and after the outbreaks. This study was designed to find the efficacy of the insecticides in use for Aedes control as well as other insecticides of the same or different classes. Preliminary results after WHO‐like tube tests or CDC‐bottle tests showed that both Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are susceptible to larvicide OP temephos, IGR pyriproxifen and adulticide OP malathion while they are resistant to all classes of pyrethroids tested (deltamethrin, permethrin, etofenprox, alphacypermethrin). Genotyping assays showed low kdr frequencies while assays to find the expression of P450s and other enzymes related to resistance are underway. Sequencing of the voltage gated sodium channel gene will give us a better picture about the mutations in the IIS6 and IIIS6 regions which plays an important role in pyrethroids sensitivity. This study will assist the authorities to design future control strategies. Support or Funding Information The study is part of PhD thesis of the presenting author Rafi ur Rahman, who receives monthly scholarship from TWAS and CNPq. No additional funding is provided to the laboratory or the student.