Investigators: P. Pietrantonio, M. Slotman, M. Debboun
This research is critical to monitor the efficacy of current mosquito control to protect humans from mosquito-transmitted viruses. This
project will have two main objectives:
- We will conduct laboratory and field tests to determine if mosquito populations remain susceptible to the insecticide applications targeting their control or if through time they become resistant to these insecticide treatments.
- We will determine how vector control methods impact the size of mosquito populations. By looking at how genetic variation in mosquito populations changes over time, we can evaluate the efficacy of insecticide applications both in knocking down population size as well as in keeping population sizes suppressed.
By determining the resistance profile of mosquitoes across a large metropolitan area, we can perhaps detect potential patterns to the resistance mechanisms. This information may lead us to test new compounds that are less likely to be cross resistant. Current insecticides permitted for adult mosquito control are very limited, but this information may provide clues on what compounds might represent good candidates in the future. This project will be conducted in collaboration with the Harris County Mosquito Control District.