Scientists discover a powerful tool against Malaria
Recent research has revealed a major breakthrough in malaria control. Published in Scientific Reports, the study demonstrates the efficacy of Fludora® Fusion, an innovative insecticide combination designed to effectively control mosquitoes, including pyrethroid-resistant strains while slowing insecticide resistance development to enhance efforts against this deadly disease.
How does resistance develop?
Insecticide ResistanceResistance is defined as ‘a heritable change in the sensitivity of a pest population that is reflected in the repeated failure of a product to achieve the expected level of control when used according to the label recommendation for that pest species’. |
Mosquito resistance develops through natural selection. Exposure to insecticides kills most mosquitoes, but a few survive through genetic mutations that allow them to withstand the chemical. These survivors reproduce and pass on their resistance traits to their offspring. Over generations, the population becomes increasingly resistant, making the insecticide less effective over time.
“When you use a product with an insecticide, again and again, you select for mosquitoes that become resistant to this insecticide. In such cases, the mosquito can no longer be controlled with that product. So we need to find ways to slow down resistance development.”
Sebastian Horstmann, Early Development Lead, Envu.
The mechanisms of mosquito resistance to insecticides
There are two major mechanisms involved.
Target site resistance
Mosquitoes can develop resistance by changing the target site of an insecticide. This is like changing the lock on a door to prevent the key (insecticide) from working.
Metabolic resistance
Mosquitoes can develop enzymes that break down the insecticide before it can harm them. This is like developing a chemical shield to neutralise the insecticide.
To maintain the previously used Lock-Key metaphor, the key (insecticide) will be destroyed before it can reach the lock, where in this case it would fit.
Dual active ingredient: a proven hope in the fight against Malaria
Envu x LECA’s study
The growing problem of resistance has led scientists to search for a more effective approach to mosquito control. Envu collaborated with the renowned Alpine Ecology Laboratory (LECA) to test the hypothesis that exposing mosquitoes to two insecticides simultaneously makes resistance development more challenging and delays its onset. This study explored how one active ingredient (deltamethrin in this case) can be used to protect the integrity of another active ingredient (clothianidin) for a longer period, thereby extending its effective use.
“We wanted to know what happens when we do a selection study over a considerable amount of generations of mosquitoes with just deltamethrin with just clothianidin, and what happens when you apply both of these active ingredients together”.
Sebastian Horstmann, Early Development Lead
Why would two insecticides work better together?
The key strategy is to expose mosquitoes to two distinct molecules, each acting through a different biochemical pathway, both leading to a lethal outcome. A mosquito can only survive if it manages to detoxify both compounds, which is significantly more challenging with two active ingredients than with just one.
The breakthrough solution
Enter Fludora® Fusion. This new strategy combines two active ingredients, Clothianidin and Deltamethrin, to create an insecticide combination that outperforms the individual components against mosquitoes.
Fludora® Fusion effectively targets mosquitoes through two distinct mechanisms simultaneously, making it harder for them to develop resistance. This is akin to requiring two different keys to unlock a door, making it significantly harder for mosquitoes to bypass the mechanism.
Powerful resistance prevention
By using two insecticides instead of one, mosquito survival and resistance development are significantly hindered. Deltamethrin and Clothianidin both act to disrupt the mosquito's nervous system, but on different parts of the nervous system over a long period of time.
“Clothianidin opens sodium channels and deltamethrin jumps into the open sodium channels and keeps them open [...] This complementary action ensures maximum effectiveness."
Sebastian Horstmann, Early Development Lead
This combination makes it particularly challenging for mosquitoes to develop resistance, significantly limiting their ability to adapt.
Importance of this discovery
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Delayed resistance: Combining two distinctive insecticide active ingredients slows down insecticide resistance development in mosquito populations.
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Protecting public health: By delaying resistance, we can maintain effective control of mosquito populations, reduce the spread of malaria and protect new active ingredients like Clothianidin from becoming insignificant due to resistance.
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Informed decision-making: Understanding the mechanisms of resistance can help scientists develop strategies to combat this deadly disease.
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Long-term benefits: This dual-action approach extends the effectiveness of Indoor Residual Spraying and contributes to sustained protection against malaria transmission.
What will tomorrow hold?
This research has demonstrated the efficacy of Fludora® Fusion against mosquitoes, marking a significant step in the fight against malaria. By disrupting the processes that lead to mosquito resistance, this dual-action insecticide is a promising solution to the disease.
With continued innovation and adaptation of our strategies, we can look towards a future where malaria is no longer a threat, offering hope for a world free of this devastating disease.
