Microbial modification of mosquitocide toxicity

Mosquitoes affect millions of people worldwide as a result of their ability to vector disease.  Widespread resistance to high efficacy mosquitocides has become a serious public health challenge that limits the use of these chemistries to reduce the risk of mosquito-vectored disease.  The naturally acquired microbial flora of mosquitoes is essential for nutritional homeostasis and pathogen defense; however, recent evidence suggests that bacterial symbionts may facilitate mosquitocide metabolism and, thus, provide a unique resistance mechanism.  In this study, we will provide: 1) toxicological profiles for septic and aseptic mosquitoes exposed to current-use mosquitocides; 2) metabolic analyses for septic and aseptic mosquitoes exposed to these chemistries; and 3) identities for bacterial symbionts of these mosquitoes.