Electrostatic coating enhances bioavailability of insecticides and breaks pyrethroid resistance in mosquitoes.
Insecticide resistance poses a significant and increasing threat to the control of malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases. We present a novel method of insecticide application based on netting treated with an electrostatic coating that binds insecticidal particles through polarity. Electrostatic netting can hold small amounts of insecticides effectively and results in enhanced bioavailability upon contact by the insect. Six pyrethroid-resistant Anopheles mosquito strains from across Africa were exposed to similar concentrations of deltamethrin on electrostatic netting or a standard long-lasting deltamethrin-coated bednet (PermaNet 2.0). Standard WHO exposure bioassays showed that electrostatic netting induced significantly higher mortality rates than the PermaNet, thereby effectively breaking mosquito resistance. Electrostatic netting also induced high mortality in resistant mosquito strains when a 15-fold lower dose of deltamethrin was applied and when the exposure time was reduced to only 5 s. Because different types of particles adhere to electrostatic netting, it is also possible to apply nonpyrethroid insecticides. Three insecticide classes were effective against strains of Aedes and Culex mosquitoes, demonstrating that electrostatic netting can be used to deploy a wide range of active insecticides against all major groups of disease-transmitting mosquitoes. Promising applications include the use of electrostatic coating on walls or eave curtains and in trapping/contamination devices. We conclude that application of electrostatically adhered particles boosts the efficacy of WHO-recommended insecticides even against resistant mosquitoes. This innovative technique has potential to support the use of unconventional insecticide classes or combinations thereof, potentially offering a significant step forward in managing insecticide resistance in vector-control operations.
In2Care BV, Wageningen 6709 PG, The Netherlands;
Rob
R
Andriessen
In2Care BV, Wageningen 6709 PG, The Netherlands;
Janneke
J
Snetselaar
In2Care BV, Wageningen 6709 PG, The Netherlands;
Remco A
RA
Suer
In2Care BV, Wageningen 6709 PG, The Netherlands;
Anne J
AJ
Osinga
CTF2000, Zele 9240, Belgium;
Johan
J
Deschietere
Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Thematic Group, Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara, Tanzania;
Issa N
IN
Lyimo
Environmental Health and Ecological Sciences Thematic Group, Ifakara Health Institute, Ifakara, Tanzania;
Ladslaus L
LL
Mnyone
Wits Research Institute for Malaria, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa; Vector Control Reference Laboratory, Centre for Opportunistic, Tropical and Hospital Infections, National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Sandringham, Johannesburg 2131, South Africa;
Basil D
BD
Brooke
Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, United Kingdom.
Hilary
H
Ranson
In2Care BV, Wageningen 6709 PG, The Netherlands;
Bart G J
BG
Knols
In2Care BV, Wageningen 6709 PG, The Netherlands; marit@in2care.org.
Marit
M
Farenhorst
D000349:Africa; D000818:Animals; D001682:Biological Availability; D009033:Culicidae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D007305:Insecticide Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D007306:Insecticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D008288:Malaria / Q000517:prevention & control*; D057147:Mosquito Nets; D009570:Nitriles / Q000633:toxicity; D011722:Pyrethrins / Q000633:toxicity*; D055672:Static Electricity; D013997:Time Factors
D007306:Insecticides; D009570:Nitriles; D011722:Pyrethrins; C017180:decamethrin
electrostatic coating; insecticide; malaria; mosquito; resistance management