Assessing Temperature-Dependent Deltamethrin Toxicity in Various kdr Genotypes of Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes

Insecticide resistance surveillance systems for vector-borne diseases are crucial for early detection of resistance and the implementation of evidence-based resistance management strategies. While insecticide susceptibility bioassays are typically conducted under controlled laboratory conditions, mosquitoes in the field experience varying environmental conditions, with temperature being a key determinant. Understanding the relationship between temperature and insecticide toxicity is essential for interpreting and extrapolating assay results across different climate zones or more locally across days with different weather conditions. In this study, we examined Aedes aegypti mosquitoes with different genetic backgrounds of insecticide resistance. Mosquitoes were homozygous for the knockdown resistance (kdr) F1534C mutation, plus either (1) homozygous for the kdr 1016V wildtype allele, (2) homozygous for the kdr V1016I mutant allele, or (3) heterozygous genetic crosses. These three genotypes were exposed to deltamethrin using WHO tube tests at three temperatures (22 °C, 27 °C, and 32 °C) and varying dosages. LC50 values were determined for each genotype and temperature combination. A negative temperature coefficient was observed exclusively in female mosquitoes homozygous for the 1016V wildtype allele, indicating reduced pyrethroid toxicity at higher temperatures. No temperature-toxicity relationship was found in males of this genotype or in other genotypes of either sex. These findings suggest that temperature may interact with kdr mutations and possibly even sex, highlighting the complex interactions between genetic mutations and environmental factors, such as temperature, in determining the insecticide resistance phenotype. Given the wide distribution of Ae. aegypti, understanding how local climate conditions influence insecticide performance will help improve control strategies and slow resistance evolution, protecting public health efforts against mosquito-borne diseases.