153 - Impact of an insecticidal paint on the reproductive physiology of Aedes aegypti in a dengue endemic area of Colombia

Abstract: Aedes aegypti is the most remarkable vector of dengue, Zika and chikungunya, diseases of great relevance to global public health. Vector control is the primary strategy to prevent these diseases, and insecticidal paints that combine adulticides and growth regulators have emerged as an innovative tool to control diseases spread by Ae. aegypti. In order to evaluate the impact of an insecticidal paint on Ae. aegypti reproductive physiology, the present study was carried out in Caucasia (Antioquia, Colombia), an area with a high dengue incidence. Using cones methodology of the World Health Organization, two groups of mosquitoes were compared: one exposed to insecticidal paint and the other to normal paint. Subsequently, mosquitoes were maintained under controlled laboratory conditions and the following physiological characteristics were evaluated: gonotrophic cycle (GC) duration, fecundity and fertility. In addition, the duration of larval development period and the inhibition of emergence of adult mosquitoes were estimated. The results indicated that the insecticidal paint affected the reproductive physiology of Ae. aegypti: lengthening the duration of the GC and inhibiting the fecundity (27.2%) and fertility (64.7%). A longer duration in the period of larval development and inhibition in emergence (61.2%) was also observed in exposed mosquitoes. These results show that insecticidal paints that combine adulticides and growth regulators can be successfully incorporated into integrated vector management programs and can help control of diseases such as dengue, Zika and chikungunya.