Dr Jehan Zeb1

1Centre For Immunology and Infection, New territory, Hong Kong, 2University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong

Biography:

I am a versatile and experienced researcher with expertise in molecular parasitology, vector biology, and vector-borne diseases. I have held academic positions in Pakistan and postdoctoral roles in Hong Kong, conducting research on topics like mosquito immunity, insecticide resistance, and arbovirus development. With a Ph.D. from Abdul Wali Khan University and experience as a visiting researcher at the University of Queensland, I am proficient in English, Urdu, and his native Pashto, and skilled in a range of techniques and technologies, positioning him as a valuable asset in the field of infectious disease research.

Abstract:

In recent decades, mosquito control strategies based on insecticides have increasingly failed due to the development of resistance in mosquitoes to available insecticides. This study assessed the insecticide resistance status of adult mosquitoes and larvicides in two island populations, HKI Island and Lamma Island, as well as investigated the presence of kdr mutations on the voltage-sensitive sodium channel (VSSC) of the Aedes albopictus mosquitoes from these regions.

For adulticides, resistance testing showed that mosquitoes from both islands were resistant to the pyrethroids deltamethrin, permethrin, and organochlorine DDT, but susceptible to the organophosphate malathion. For larvicides, mosquito larvae from HKI Island were susceptible to all tested larvicides, including Bti, spinosad, temephos, and pyriproxyfen. However, the larvicide resistance status for Lamma Island could not be determined due to a lack of data.

The investigation of VSSC mutations revealed that the F1534S mutation was detected in a subset of the Aedes albopictus samples from HKI Island, with 11.90% and 16.98% of the samples exhibiting the mutation in heterozygous and homozygous forms, respectively. These findings suggest that the F1534S mutation may contribute to insecticide resistance, but additional resistance mechanisms, such as metabolic resistance, are likely also involved.

Overall, these results highlight the importance of continuous monitoring and resistance management strategies to maintain the efficacy of insecticides and larvicides in mosquito control programs on the two islands. Further research is needed to fully understand the resistance profile of the Aedes albopictus populations in the studied regions.