Analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the bed bug (Cimex lectularius)

Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are small bloodsucking human ectoparasites that have experienced a massive population resurgence in the United States in recent decades. In part due to their clandestine habits and prolific reproductive abilities, bed bugs are one of the most difficult urban pests to control. To make matters worse, research has shown that many bed bug populations exhibit resistance to some pyrethroids used in chemical control. The phenomenon of pesticide resistance is directly associated with changes or mutations in an organism’s DNA. Simple changes, such as a mutation of a single base pair, have been shown to have dramatic physiological consequences. The objective of this study was to investigate field populations for the presence of knockdown resistance (kdr)in the voltage gated sodium channel of C. lectularius. These mutations are one of the mechanisms of resistance against pyrethroid insecticides. Information from this study will give additional data on the distribution and spread of pyrethroid resistance in C. lectularius.