Insecticides Susceptibility Status of Malaria Vectors in a High Malaria Endemic Tribal District Gadchiroli (Maharashtra) of India

Abstract

Background and Objective: The current study was undertaken to determine insecticide susceptibility of malaria vectors in various villages of high malaria endemic PHCs of Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra. Methods: Adult malaria vectors were collected from the human dwellings/ cattle sheds of 156 villages of 18 malaria endemic PHCs. Susceptibility tests were carried out for different insecticides against An. culicifacies and An. fluviatilis mosquitoes as per the World Health Organization (WHO) procedure. Cone bioassays were also done to assess the quality and efficacy of indoor residual spray. Results:An. fluviatilis could be collected from 23 villages only and all the populations were fully susceptible to synthetic pyrethroid (deltamethrin) while being tolerant to organophosphorous (malathion). Susceptibility of An. culicifacies from 156 villages indicated that only 3 populations of An. culicifacies were resistant to deltamethrin while 57 populations were fully susceptible and other 96 populations were tolerant to deltamethrin. Resistance was recorded in 25 populations of An. culicifacies against malathion and 30 populations were tolerant to malathion insecticide. Remaining populations of An. fluviatilis and An. culicifacies were highly resistant to organochlorine. Results of cone bioassay revealed the mortality ranged from 32.5-51.1% on cemented and 27.5-43.3% on the mud wall sprayed with lambda cyhalothrin. Conclusion: The current study indicates that resistance has developed to synthetic pyrethroids in the major malaria vector An. culicifacies. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the evaluation of new insecticide molecules for better control of malaria vectors.