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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Mosquito and Fly Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #346150
Research Project: Biting Arthropod Surveillance and Control

Location: Mosquito and Fly Research

Title: A comparative analysis of resistance testing methods in Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) from St. Johns County, Florida

Author
item WAITS, CHRISTY - Navy Entomology Center Of Excellence, Cmave Detachment
item FULCHER, ALI - Anastasia Mosquito Control District
item Louton, Jessica
item RICHARDSON, ALEC - Navy Entomology Center Of Excellence, Cmave Detachment
item Becnel, James
item XUE, RUI-DE - Anastasia Mosquito Control District
item ESTEP, ALDEN - Navy Entomology Center Of Excellence, Cmave Detachment

Submitted to: Florida Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/19/2017
Publication Date: 9/19/2017
Citation: Waits, C.M., Fulcher, A., Louton, J.E., Richardson, A.G., Becnel, J.J., Xue, R., Estep, A.S. 2017. A comparative analysis of resistance testing methods in Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) from St. Johns County, Florida. Florida Entomologist. 100(3):571-577.

Interpretive Summary: Scientists at the Center for Medical, Veterinary and Agricultural Entomology and collaborators characterized the insecticide resistance status of 3 strains of Asian Tiger Mosquitoes collected in St. Johns County, Florida. Several methods to determine resistance were tested using a variety of available pesticides. One wild type stain was shown to be resistant to permethrin indicating the value of resistance testing as part of a mosquito surveillance program.

Technical Abstract: Aedes albopictus Skuse (Diptera: Culicidae) was tested for resistance to permethrin, bifenthrin, and malathion using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) bottle bioassays and topical toxicology assays on adults and larval bioassays. Eggs were collected from 3 locations across St. Johns County, Florida, raised to the F3 generation and compared with an insecticide susceptible laboratory strain. Results from CDC bottle bioassays with permethrin indicate no significant differences between the 3 wild-type strains and the laboratory strain but suggest the possibility of resistance in 1 strain. Bottle bioassay results for malathion were inconclusive. Topical toxicological results for adults and bioassays for larvae showed a significant difference in permethrin resistance between the control strain and 1 of the wild-type strains. Results from this project indicate that insecticide susceptibility testing should be a regular part of mosquito surveillance programs. Upon detection of resistance, detailed dose response bioassays should be performed to quantify the resistance and mechanisms in local vector populations.