Combining a non-pyrethroid insecticide and a repellent: a new approach for controlling knockdown-resistant mosquitoes

Although pyrethroid-treated materials are a promising tool for the prevention and the control of dengue in the tropics, the development of pyrethroid resistance in the main mosquito vector (Aedes aegypti) may negate their use for personal and/or community protection. In that context, the efficacy of a mixture of a repellent (N,N-diethyl toluamide [DEET]) and a non-pyrethroid insecticide (propoxur) was investigated under laboratory conditions against both pyrethroid-susceptible and pyrethroid-resistant mosquitoes with the knockdown resistance (kdr) mutation. The results showed that a combination of propoxur and DEET induced a knockdown effect and mortality as high as deltamethrin (a standard pyrethroid) against the susceptible strain, and significantly higher efficacy against the pyrethroid-resistant strain. This could be explained mainly by the existence of a strong synergistic interaction between DEET and propoxur in mosquitoes. This study constitutes a first step towards an alternative strategy for improving mosquito control in areas with pyrethroid resistance.