Author:
Paronyan Lusine,Babayan Lilit,Vardanyan Haykuhi,Manucharyan Arsen,Papapostolou Kyriaki Maria,Balaska Sofia,Vontas John,Mavridis Konstantinos
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Armenia is considered particularly vulnerable to life-threatening vector-borne diseases (VBDs) including malaria, West Nile virus disease and leishmaniasis. However, information relevant for the control of the vectors of these diseases, such as their insecticide resistance profile, is scarce. The present study was conducted to provide the first evidence on insecticide resistance mechanisms circulating in major mosquito and sand fly populations in Armenia.
Methods
Sampling sites were targeted based mainly on previous historical records of VBD occurrences in humans and vertebrate hosts. Initially, molecular species identification on the collected vector samples was performed. Subsequently, molecular diagnostic assays [polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Sanger sequencing, PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), quantitative PCR (qPCR)] were performed to profile for major insecticide resistance mechanisms, i.e. target site insensitivity in voltage-gated sodium channel (vgsc) associated with pyrethroid resistance, acetylcholinesterase (ace-1) target site mutations linked to organophosphate (OP) and carbamate (CRB) resistance, chitin synthase (chs-1) target site mutations associated with diflubenzuron (DFB) resistance and gene amplification of carboxylesterases (CCEs) associated with resistance to the OP temephos.
Results
Anopheles mosquitoes were principally represented by Anopheles sacharovi, a well-known malaria vector in Armenia, which showed no signs of resistance mechanisms. Contrarily, the knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations V1016G and L1014F/C in the vgsc gene were detected in the arboviral mosquito vectors Aedes albopictus and Culex pipiens, respectively. The kdr mutation L1014S was also detected in the sand fly, vectors of leishmaniasis, Phlebotomus papatasi and P. tobbi, whereas no mutations were found in the remaining collected sand fly species, P. sergenti, P. perfiliewi and P. caucasicus.
Conclusions
This is the first study to report on molecular mechanisms of insecticide resistance circulating in major mosquito and sand fly disease vectors in Armenia and highlights the need for the establishment of systematic resistance monitoring practices for the implementation of evidence-based control applications.
Graphical Abstract
Funder
European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme
ECODEVELOPMENT S.A.
Fondation Santé
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Infectious Diseases,Parasitology,General Veterinary
Reference59 articles.
1. Paronyan L, Avetisyan L, Gevorgyan K, Tunyan A, Manukyan A, Grigoryan A, et al. National vector control needs assessment (VCNA) in Armenia. Yerevan: Ministry of Health of Armenia Report; 2021.
2. Paronyan L, Babayan L, Manucharyan A, Manukyan D, Vardanyan H, Melik-Andrasyan G, et al. The mosquitoes of Armenia: review of knowledge and results of a field survey with first report of Aedes albopictus. Parasite. 2020;27:42. https://doi.org/10.1051/parasite/2020039.
3. Davidyants VA, Kondrashin AV, Vanyan AV, Morozova LF, Turbabina NA, Stepanova EV, et al. Role of malaria partners in malaria elimination in Armenia. Malar J. 2019;18:178. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-019-2814-y.
4. Manukian DV, Oganesian AS, Shakhnazarian SA, Aleksanian IuT. Role of mosquitoes in the transmisson of arboviruses in Armenia. Med Parazitol (Mosk). 2006;2:38–9.
5. Manukian DV, Oganesian AS, Shakhnazarian SA, Aleksanian IuT. The species composition of mosquitoes and ticks in Armenia. Med Parazitol (Mosk). 2006;1:31–3.