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In Latin America, Triatoma infestans is the main vector of the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, causal agent of Chagas disease. This blood-sucking triatomine is widely distributed in the Gran Chaco ecoregion, where chemical control has failed because of the evolution of resistance to pyrethroid insecticides. Recently, we described a deltamethrin high resistant focus in Güemes Department (Chaco province) characterized by susceptible populations, populations with low resistance (without field control failures) and some of the populations with the highest resistance level detected. This toxicological heterogeneity could be a result of non-homogenous insecticide pressure and be influenced by environmental factors. The present study evaluated the association of deltamethrin resistance ratios (RR 50 s) of T. infestans populations with explanatory variables extracted from the WorldClim dataset and constructed from information of National Chagas Program actions during 2005-2015. Control actions were distributed throughout the analyzed period, representing a homogeneous selective pressure. The average percentage of total positive houses was 33.66%. Models that included temperature and precipitation indicators presented 65% explanation. When village size variables where added, the explanatory power reached 70%. This observational result suggests that the climate may favor directly or indirectly the development/selection for resistance, representing a valuable tool to understand the occurrence of resistance that could increase the Chagas disease in the Gran Chaco., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Triatoma infestans (Heteroptera: Reduviidae) Klug is the main vector of Chagas disease in Latin America. Resistance to deltamethrin was reported in Argentina and recently associated with reproductive and longevity trade-offs. The objectives of the present study were to describe the demographic consequences of deltamethrin resistance in T. infestans and to establish possible target stages for chemical control in susceptible and resistant colonies. A stage-classified matrix model was constructed based on the average stage length for susceptible, resistant and reciprocal matings' progeny. The differences between colonies were analysed by prospective and retrospective analysis. The life table parameters indicated reduced fecundity, fertility and population growth in resistant insects. The retrospective analysis suggested the latter was associated with lower reproductive output and increased fifth-instar nymph stage length. The prospective analysis suggested that the adult stage should be the main target for insecticide control. Although, fifth-instar nymphs should also be targeted when resistance has been detected. The presented results show demographic effects of deltamethrin resistance in T. infestans. While the older stages could be the main targets for chemical control, this approach is impeded by their higher tolerance to insecticides. It is concluded that the different mode of action insecticides would be more effective than a dose increase for the control of deltamethrin-resistant T. infestans., (© 2016 The Royal Entomological Society.)

Chagas disease is one of the most important parasitic infections in Latin America. The main vector of the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi in America is Triatoma infestans, a blood-sucking triatomine bug who is widely distributed in the Gran Chaco ecoregion. Control programs in endemic countries are focused in the elimination of triatomine vectors with pyrethroid insecticides. However, chemical control has failed in the Gran Chaco over the last two decades because of several factors. Previous studies have reported the evolution of different levels of resistance to deltamethrin in Tri. infestans Recently, very high resistance has been found in the central area of the Argentine Gran Chaco. However, the origin and the extension of this remarkably resistant focus remain unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the geographical variation of deltamethrin susceptibility of Tri. infestans in different endemic provinces of Argentina, with emphasis in the center of the Argentine Gran Chaco ecoregion where this main vector has not been reduced. Populations of Mendoza, San Juan, Santiago del Estero, and Tucumán provinces were all susceptible. Resistant populations were only detected in the province of Chaco, where a mosaic resistant focus was described at the Güemes Department. It was characterized into three pyrethroid resistance categories: susceptible, low, and highly resistant populations. We found the populations with the highest resistance levels to deltamethrin, with resistant ratios over 1000., (© The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

In this work, we evaluated the effect of environmental variables such as temperature, humidity, and light on the locomotor activity of Pediculus humanus capitis. In addition, we used selected conditions of temperature, humidity, and light to study the effects of cypermethrin and N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET) on the locomotor activity of head lice. Head lice increased their locomotor activity in an arena at 30°C compared with activity at 20°C. When we tested the influence of the humidity level, the locomotor activity of head lice showed no significant differences related to humidity level, both at 30°C and 20°C. Concerning light influence, we observed that the higher the intensity of light, the slower the movement of head lice. We also demonstrated that sublethal doses of toxics may alter locomotor activity in adults of head lice. Sublethal doses of cypermethrin induced hyperactivated responses in adult head lice. Sublethal doses of DEET evocated hypoactivated responses in head lice. The observation of stereotyped behavior in head lice elicited by toxic compounds proved that measuring locomotor activity in an experimental set-up where environmental conditions are controlled would be appropriate to evaluate compounds of biological importance, such as molecules involved in the host-parasite interaction and intraspecific relationships., (© The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Chagas disease is a zoonosis transmitted to man by blood-sucking triatomine bugs found in the Americas. Triatoma infestans (Klug, 1834) is the main vector of Chagas' disease in Argentina. The control of this illness relies heavily on vector control through the use of insecticide. However, resistance to pyrethroid insecticides associated with ineffective field treatments has been increasingly reported in T. infestans from Argentina and Bolivia. There are few reports on the expression and causes of resistance in eggs of resistant populations, and even fewer studies on insecticide resistance throughout embryonic development. In this study, we explore the biochemical and molecular mechanisms potentially associated with the deltamethrin resistance assessed in the developing eggs of the Argentinean (Campo Largo) and Bolivian (Entre Ríos) T. infestans populations.We found measurable activity of monooxigenases and pyrethroid esterases throughout embryonic development. The pyrethroid esterase activity grew steadily throughout development in all the studied populations and was highest in eggs 12 d old. Mean enzyme activity increased from 13.6 to 16.3 and 22.2 picomol 7-hydroxycoumarin/min (7-OHC) in eggs of 4-, 7-, and 12 d old from the susceptible reference bug colony. Mean activity of resistant populations increased from 16.0 to 25.9 picomol 7-OHC/min in eggs of 4- to 12 d old in Entre Ríos population, and from 15.9 to 28.9 picomol 7-OHC/min in Campo Largo population. Molecular analysis of susceptible and resistant developing eggs detected L1014F mutation in both resistant populations, but no L925I mutation was found in any of the studied populations.Higher esterase activity and L1014F presence justify the resistance to pyrethroid throughout developing eggs of both studied T. infestans populations. The description of resistance profiles including resistance mechanisms involved will allow a rational design of campaigns for the control of Chagas disease transmission., (© The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Effective chemical control relies on reducing vector population size. However, insecticide selection pressure is often associated with the development of resistant populations that reduce control success. In treated areas, these resistant individuals present an adaptive advantage due to enhanced survival. Resistance can also lead to negative effects when the insecticide pressure ceases. In this study, the biological effects of deltamethrin resistance were assessed in the Chagas disease vector Triatoma infestans. The length of each developmental stage and complete life cycle, mating rate, and fecundity were evaluated. Susceptible and resistant insects presented similar mating rates. A reproductive cost of resistance was expressed as a lower fecundity in the resistant colony. Developmental costs in the resistant colony were in the form of a shortening of the second and third nymph stage duration and an extension of the fifth stage. A maternal effect of deltamethrin resistance is suggested as these effects were identified in resistant females and their progeny independently of the mated male's deltamethrin response. Our results suggest the presence of pleiotropic effects of deltamethrin resistance. Possible associations of these characters to other traits such as developmental delays and behavioral resistance are discussed., (© 2015 The Society for Vector Ecology.)

Deltamethrin-based campaigns to control Triatoma infestans (Klug) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) have decreased in success as a result of the development of insecticide resistance. We compared the in vitro effects of the pyrethroid deltamethrin and two doses of the organophosphate fenitrothion, presented on different materials, on T. infestans from La Esperanza, Argentina. Laboratory tests demonstrated a decrease in susceptibility to deltamethrin in the field population [LD50 : 30.32 nanograms per insect (ng/i)] compared with the reference population (LD50 : 0.13 ng/i), giving a high resistance ratio of 233.42. By contrast, similar susceptibility to fenitrothion was assessed in both the field and reference populations (LD50 : 21.65 ng/i and 21.38 ng/i, respectively). The effectiveness of the formulated insecticides varied according to the surfaces to which they were applied. The application of fenitrothion formulations to glass or brick resulted in mortality of 90-100%. The application of fenitrothion formulations to wood or mud caused mortality in the range of 6.7-56.7%. Resistant insects presented low mortality when exposed to the deltamethrin formulation and high mortality when exposed to fenitrothion formulations. Moreover, the insecticides demonstrated residual activity only when applied to glass. The present work demonstrates that fenitrothion is an alternative to pyrethroids for the management of deltamethrin-resistant insects in La Esperanza. However, this effectiveness is not sustained over time., (© 2013 The Royal Entomological Society.)

Permethrin-resistant colonies of Pediculus capitis (De Geer) from Buenos Aires were used to establish a resistance profile and to examine resistance mechanisms. All permethrin-resistant head lice (resistance ratio from 52.8 to > 88.7) were also resistant to d-phenothrin (resistance ratio from 40.86 to > 48.39) and deltamethrin (resistance ratio from 16.24 to 38.06). No cross-resistance to carbaryl was found in any of the pyrethroid-resistant P. capitis tested. Otherwise, all resistant colonies showed low to high levels of resistance to beta-cypermethrin. This pyrethroid had never been applied as a pediculicide in Argentina; however, the high level of resistance found in these permethrin-resistant colonies (resistance ratio from 9.74 to 50.97) demonstrated that pyrethroid cross-resistance occurred to this novel insecticide. Treatment with piperonyl butoxide (PBO) or triphenylphosphate (TPP) significantly decreased the toxicity of permethrin in the four colonies tested. The esterase inhibitor TPP produced lower enhancement of toxicity than the multifunction oxidase inhibitor PBO in the colonies having the highest resistance levels. Results presented here concerning the cross-resistance profile and synergism by enzyme inhibitors in permethrin-resistant head lice demonstrated that enhanced metabolism was involved in the pyrethroid resistance. However, the substantial degree of resistance that remained after synergism suggested the presence of another resistance mechanism. Cross-resistance to pyrethroid and susceptibility to the carbamate carbaryl suggested a common action mechanism.

Resistance levels to insecticides used in control of Chagas Disease vectors were assessed in two species of bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae): Triatoma infestans (Klug) from Brazil and Rhodnius prolixus Stål from Venezuela. The resistance ratios, compared to susceptible laboratory strains, were determined by topical application bioassays. The T. infestans PA strain exhibited resistance ratios of 7x to deltamethrin, 3.6x to beta-cyfluthrin and 3.3x to cypermethrin, but was susceptible to beta-cypermethrin and lambda-cyhalothrin. Rhodnius prolixus CA strain showed resistance to all the pyrethroids evaluated, the resistance ratios ranging between 4.5x to lambda-cyhalothrin and 12.4x to cypermethrin. Deltamethrin resistance in both strains was decreased by piperonyl butoxide, suggesting oxidative metabolism as cause of resistance.

This study assessed the insecticidal effect in the laboratory and in the field of the new pyrethroid beta-cypermethrin against Triatoma infestans, the vector of Chagaś disease, and compared it with that of deltamethrin. Comparison of the 50% lethal dosis (LD50) of both pyrethroids showed that beta-cypermethrin is more effective against the nymphs and that deltamethrin is more effective against the adults. Evaluation of the 50% lethal concentration (LC50) of the flowable formulations of both insecticides, placed on different surfaces, showed that their effectiveness on glass is similar, while on a ceramic surface deltamethrin is slightly more effective. The flowable formulations of the two insecticides were tested in 100 infested homes in the province of Santiago del Estero, Argentina. Deltamethrin was applied at a surface concentration of 25 mg/m2 and beta-cypermethrin at 50 mg/m2. The real surface concentrations of these products were analyzed from filter paper samples placed on walls and ceilings. Gas chromatography revealed good agreement with the target concentrations. In addition, entomological assessments were carried out 60, 90, 180, and 365 days after the treatments. Infestations were found only during the last assessment: in the peridomiciliary area of 10% of the houses treated with beta-cypermethrin and in 7% of the houses treated with deltamethrin (6% in the peridomiciliary area and 1% inside the house). The results indicate that beta-cypermethrin's effectiveness in controlling T. infestans when applied at a concentration of 50 mg/m2 is similar to that of deltamethrin applied at a concentration of 25 mg/m2.