The yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, is a major concern to human health. Insecticides are highly effective for mosquito management. However, the emergence of insecticide resistant mosquito populations is an ongoing threat to current management strategies. Research investigating biorational chemistries, such as plant essential oils (EOs), suggests that these chemistries may be effective in managing resistant mosquitoes. A previous study investigated the exposure of plant EO vapors to improve pyrethroid efficacy to adult pyrethroid-resistant Ae. aegypti. These data show that certain EOs, when applied as a vapor treatment, increase deltamethrin efficacy to pyrethroid-resistant and susceptible mosquitoes, while topical exposure of EOs resulted in no significant change in deltamethrin efficacy. Results of enzyme activity assays show that EOs alter cytochrome P450 activity, leading to changes in deltamethrin efficacy. These studies have further examined the larval toxicity of EOs. The initial screening of Ae. aegypti larvae to 25 EOs resulted in acute toxicity at a high concentration. Further examinations showed lethal concentrations varying between EOs. Similar to the adult assays, certain oils were tested further for synergistic effects in pyrethroid treated larvae. The aims of this study are to further examine the potential applications and delivery of EOs to manage resistant Ae. aegypti. These aims include behavioral studies investigating potential alterations in larva swimming behavior in the presence of EOs and oviposition response of gravid Ae. Aegypti females to substrates containing EOs. Results of these studies will provide appropriate assessments of larvicidal and behavior properties of EOs to pyrethroid-resistant Ae. aegypti.

Larvicide activity of biorational compounds to pyrethroid-resistance Aedes aegypti mosquitoes

2019 Fall National Meeting

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