Insecticide Resistance Mechanisms in Triatoma infestans (Reduviidae: Triatominae): The Putative Role of Enhanced Detoxification and Knockdown Resistance (kdr) Allele in a Resistant Hotspot From the Argentine Chaco

FRONZA, GEORGINA; ROCA ACEVEDO, GONZALO; MOUGABURE CUETO, GASTÓN; SIERRA, IVANA; CAPRIOTTI, NATALIA; TOLOZA, ARIEL

JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOC AMER

Año: 2020 vol. 57 p. 837 - 844

0022-2585

Chagas disease affects around 6 million people in the world, and in Latin America, it is mainly transmitted by the kissing bug. Chemical control of the vector with pyrethroid insecticides has been the most frequently usedtool to reduce the disease incidence. Failures of field control have been detected in areas of the Argentinian Gran Chaco that correlate with high levels of insecticide resistance. Here, we provide evidence of the mechanismsinvolved in the resistance to insecticides of field populations of T. infestans from General Güemes Department (Chaco Province, Argentina). The biochemical analysis suggests the increase in the activity of the degradative enzymes P450 oxidases and esterases as a minor contributive mechanism in low-resistance populations. The molecular study revealed high frequencies of the kdr L925I mutation at the voltage-gated sodium channel as responsible for the high resistance ratios detected. This knowledge contributes to the generation ofcomprehensive vector control strategies that reduce the incidence of the disease.