A frightening resurgence of bed bug infestations has occurred over the last 10 years in the US, and current chemical methods have been inadequate for controlling this pest due to widespread insecticide resistance. We have identified bed bugs collected in Richmond, VA which exhibit both kdr-type (L925I) and metabolic resistance to pyrethroid insecticides. To identify metabolic genes potentially involved in the detoxification of pyrethroids, we performed deep-sequencing of the adult bed bug transcriptome, obtaining more than 2.5 million reads on the 454 titanium platform. Analysis of assembled transcripts in both Harlan (susceptible) and Richmond (resistant) bed bugs revealed several candidate cytochrome P450 and carboxylesterase genes which were significantly over-expressed in the resistant strain, consistent with the idea of increased metabolic resistance. These data will accelerate efforts to understand the biochemical basis for insecticide resistance in bed bugs and will provide molecular markers to assist in the surveillance of metabolic resistance.

Deep sequencing of pyrethroid-resistant bed bugs reveals multiple mechanisms of resistance within a single population

244th National Meeting (2012)

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