Mosquitoes mutate to avoid pesticides, researchers say

December 22, 2022 — Mosquitoes are proving as resistant to control as they are annoying, with many evolving to avoid the threat of pesticides and becoming “super” mosquitoes, researchers report.

A species of mosquito known to carry diseases – aedes aegypti – has been developing mutations at a high rate, according to researchers from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Japan. The researchers studied mosquitoes in areas of Vietnam and Cambodia where dengue fever is common.

Besides dengue fever, this mosquito species is also known for its role in the spread of yellow fever and Zika virus, according to the study. A puzzling mutation was found in 78% of the mosquitoes examined.

ABC News reported that “the findings could pose a serious threat to infectious disease control and eradication programs, as the mutation is one of the highest levels of insecticide resistance observed in a field mosquito population.”

“It’s important to know that the insecticides we normally use may not be effective against mosquitoes,” Shinji Kasai, study author and senior researcher in NIID’s Department of Medical Entomology, told ABC News.

The study was published this week in Scientific advances.

The ABC report noted that mosquitoes appear to evolve to avoid human attempts to eliminate them. Earlier this year, researchers found that mosquitoes learn to avoid pesticides meant to kill them.

The study authors wrote, “Further experiments to characterize each mutation are needed…(adding) the stark fact that threats to the control of dengue and other arbovirus infectious diseases are certainly imminent.