Current resistance status of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus populations in Penang Island, Malaysia

Abstract

Objective: To determine the current insecticide resistance status of Aedes (Ae.) aegypti and Ae. albopictus to four insecticides, namely 0.05% deltamethrin, 0.75% permethrin, 5% malathion and 0.25% pirimiphos–methyl using the World Health Organisation (WHO) susceptibility test kit.

Methods: Adult bioassays were carried out using the standard protocol of the World Health Organisation. All F1 generation urban and suburban field strains of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus were tested against pyrethroid and organophosphate insecticides, including the presence of piperonyl butoxide (PBO) in four replicates of 25 non-blood-fed female mosquitoes ranging from 3 to 5 days old. The Vector Control Research Unit (VCRU) laboratory strain served as a reference strain.

Results: In this study, 0.05% deltamethrin demonstrated a lower value of knockdown time when 50% of the mosquito population died (KT₅₀) and knockdown time when 95% of the mosquito population died (KT₉₅), which is significantly more effective compared to 0.75% permethrin against adult female Ae. aegypti (urban and suburban) and Ae. albopictus (urban and suburban) (ANOVA, P<0.01). Meanwhile, 5% malathion was a more effective insecticide, amounting to the shorter KT₅₀ and KT₉₅ compared to 0.25% pirimiphos-methyl against Ae. aegypti (urban and suburban) and Ae. albopictus (urban and suburban). Ae. aegypti urban and Ae. aegypti suburban performed a higher resistance ratio (RR) towards both 0.05% deltamethrin and 0.75% permethrin due to the wide use of permethrin in dengue vector control programs in Malaysia. However, Ae. albopictus urban and suburban have lower resistance than Ae. aegypti urban and suburban towards 0.05% deltamethrin and 0.75% permethrin at 24 hours post-treatment. The addition of PBO with these insecticides successfully reduced knockdown time (KT₅₀ and KT₉₅) values of most of the Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus field strains except PBO+0.75% permethrin against Ae. aegypti suburban.

Conclusions: The addition of PBO to insecticides has significantly reduced the knockdown time (KT₅₀ and KT₉₅) values on most of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus urban strain except PBO+5% malathion against Ae. albopictus urban strain and PBO+0.75% permethrin against Ae. albopictus suburban strain in comparison to exposure to insecticides without PBO. Ae. aegypti showed a higher resistance ratio of 50 (RR₅₀) when compared with the VCRU laboratory reference strain (susceptible strain) at the exposure to the deltamethrin, including with pre-exposure to PBO. This study found that the addition of PBO with organophosphates (5% malathion and 0.25% pirimiphos–methyl) was significantly more effective than pyrethroids against Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus (urban and suburban) due to their high mortality rate at 24 hours. It can be concluded that the usage of PBO can help reduce resistance alteration in Aedes mosquitoes.

Keywords

Insecticide resistance / Mosquito / Organophosphates / Pyrethroids / Vector control

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