Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026
Using Single Sensillum Recording to Detect Olfactory Neuron Responses of Bed Bugs to Semiochemicals
Published on: January 18, 2016
Ivermectin and Moxidectin Can Incapacitate Different Strains of the Common Bed Bug Cimex lectularius L.: A Study
Johnathan M Sheele1, Elizabeth Lesser1, Xiaolin Li2
1Emergency Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, USA.
Abstract:
The common bed bug Cimex lectularius L. (C. lectularius) is a hematophagous ectoparasite that has recently resurged in many western industrialized nations, in part due to pesticide resistance. Using a laboratory feeding system, we found that the antiparasitic drugs ivermectin and moxidectin did not show higher incapacitation rates in pyrethroid-resistant strains of C. lectularius compared to a pyrethroid-susceptible strain. Additionally, we developed a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectroscopy (MS) assay to measure the concentrations of ivermectin inside C. lectularius and found that ivermectin persists in the insects for up to one month. HPLC/MS will be useful in understanding the pathophysiology behind the long-term morbidity observed in C. lectularius that consumes a sublethal dose of ivermectin.
Insights
Antiparasitic drugs ivermectin and moxidectin did not effectively incapacitate pyrethroid-resistant bed bugs (Cimex lectularius). Ivermectin persists in bed bugs for up to a month, aiding research into their long-term health effects.
Area of Science:
- Entomology
- Parasitology
- Pesticide Resistance
Background:
- The common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) has resurged globally, driven by resistance to conventional pesticides like pyrethroids.
- Effective control strategies are urgently needed due to widespread pesticide resistance in bed bug populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of antiparasitic drugs ivermectin and moxidectin against pyrethroid-resistant and susceptible strains of Cimex lectularius.
- To develop and validate an analytical method for quantifying ivermectin concentrations within Cimex lectularius.
- To investigate the persistence of ivermectin in Cimex lectularius following exposure.
Main Methods:
- Laboratory feeding system used to expose Cimex lectularius strains to ivermectin and moxidectin.
- High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectroscopy (MS) employed for drug quantification.
- Comparative analysis of incapacitation rates between pyrethroid-resistant and susceptible bed bug strains.
Main Results:
- Ivermectin and moxidectin did not demonstrate superior incapacitation rates in pyrethroid-resistant Cimex lectularius compared to susceptible strains.
- A sensitive HPLC/MS assay was successfully developed to measure ivermectin concentrations in bed bugs.
- Ivermectin was detected in Cimex lectularius for up to one month post-exposure, indicating significant persistence.
Conclusions:
- Ivermectin and moxidectin are not currently effective alternatives for controlling pyrethroid-resistant bed bugs.
- The developed HPLC/MS method is a valuable tool for pharmacokinetic studies of ivermectin in Cimex lectularius.
- Understanding ivermectin persistence is crucial for investigating the mechanisms of long-term morbidity in bed bugs exposed to sublethal doses.
