Characterising metabolic mechanisms conferring deltamethrin resistance in Anopheles albimanus, major malaria vector in Guatemala (360G-Wellcome-205302_Z_16_Z)

Malaria is still a publich health in Guatemala, reportin a total of 4,931 confirmed malaria cases for 2014. The main malaria vector is An. albimanus because is the most abundant and widely distributed species. Insecticide-based vector control strategies are maily used in Guatemala, which includes pyrethroid LLIN's. Unfortunately, the emergence of resistance to insecticides is threatening the continued success of the insecticide-based vector control interventions. Bioassays, molecular and biochemical assays indicated development of pyrethroids resistance in An. albimanus from Guatemala with early evidences suggesting a predominant role of metabolic resistance mechanisms. Therefore, this project aims at elucidatin the metabolic resistance mechanisms involved in the deltamethrin resistance in Guatemalan An. albimanus. So, insecticide resistance profile will be assessed in field populations of An. albimanus throughout Guatemala using CDC bottle bioassays and synergist assays. Resistant mosquitoes will be used to detect key genes conferring metabolic resistance using RNA-seq transcriptomic approach with Illumina and quantitative PCR. In addition, deltamethrin resistance markers will be detected by sequencing of candidate genes between resistant and susceptible mosquitoes. This will allow us to design DNA-based diagnostic tools which will to enhance the sentinel surveillance to detect insecticide resistance at early stage.