Entertainment Mosquitoes have been found with a high prevalence of insecticide-resistant mutations Ana LopezDecember 26, 20220544 views The insecticides that target insects that spread disease collide with evolution, nature’s most powerful defense. Researchers found on Wednesday that mosquitoes in Cambodia and Vietnam are becoming increasingly resistant to a widely used insecticide. Aedes aegypti, a disease vector that transmits dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, Zika and other diseases, is the subject of a paper published in the journal Science Advances. The researchers found in lab tests that 78 percent of mosquitoes in Cambodia and Vietnam had a mutation indicating resistance to permethrin. This insecticide belongs to the pyrethroid family. Check out some related articles here: While that mutation has been observed, a mosquito population has never had it so often. The latest research also found that mosquitoes in the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, had many mutations that conferred exceptional resistance to two different insecticides. Two insecticides were sprayed; one killed 10% of mosquitoes, the other killed none. The high number of mosquitoes found with mutation As the populations of Aedes aegypti and other species increase and expand their geographic range due to climate change, urbanization and globalization, insecticide resistance in mosquitoes is becoming an increasingly important public health concern. The latest research is a stark reminder that mosquito control measures need to be as flexible as the insects themselves. The epidemic and development of SARS-CoV-2 are also reflected in the research. The coronavirus has often changed in such a way that it can spread better and evade antibodies produced by previous infections or vaccinations. “I believe our work will help us understand that evolution is a powerful force,” Shinji Kasai, lead author of the study and director of the medical entomology department at Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases, said in an email. Although this mosquito mutation is still limited to Southeast Asia, Aedes aegypti is a hardened traveller. It lays eggs that can survive for months in dry conditions and spread through global trade routes, Kasai said. “Aedes mosquitoes can live anywhere. They like artificial water containers, including pots, used tires, plastic cups, washbowls and pods,” he said. “I think it is impossible to eliminate such water containers.” Although the mutation has not been found in South East Asia outside Vietnam and Cambodia, the report adds it may migrate there and if it does it could pose a risk “unprecedented danger for the fight against dengue fever” other mosquito-borne diseases. The Washington Post: Large number of mosquitoes found with insecticide-resistant mutation.https://t.co/M1swxKnJto — Peter Loyd (@apbioloyd) December 22, 2022 This is shown by Kasai’s research and 26 co-authors, the number of dengue diseases has increased 30-fold over the past 50 years, with modelers estimating 390 million infections per year. Check out some related articles here: According to Kasai, places without pyrethroid insecticides are unlikely to support the growth of mosquitoes with this mutation. He also gave a broad perspective on the ongoing conflict between humans and mosquitoes, not assuming an eventual eradication of the pesky insects. “All organisms live like cogs on this planet and may be needed to sustain the planet,” he said in the email. “I think the most desirable world is one where mosquitoes can be controlled in such a way that people don’t have to feel the risk of mosquito-borne disease.” Last lines Are you interested in more recent news updates? Comment your thoughts below. Stay tuned Leedaily.com will keep you posted.