Microbial strategies for controlling vector disease insects: insights from CEPAVE, Argentina

Le résumé fourni par la source

Vector-borne diseases remain a major challenge in the Americas. During outbreaks, health authorities often rely on chemical control. However, the emergence of pyrethroid-resistant Aedes aegypti populations (KDRs) in Argentina underscores the urgent need for locally adapted strategies against synanthropic insects. Biological methods provide a sustainable, and environmentally friendly alternative that should be integrated into control programs. CEPAVE is a leading institution in South America in the study of natural enemies and biological control of insect vectors. Researchers in insect pathology have identified viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and nematodes as pathogens or parasites of insects. The main goal of CEPAVE’s “Laboratory of Disease Vectors” and “Entomopathogenic Fungi” teams is to understand the impact of natural enemies on insect vector populations and identify promising candidates for laboratory and field evaluations as potential biological control agents. This presentation will discuss new findings on endosymbiotic bacteria and mosquito iridoviruses, as well as their interactions with a parasitoid nematode. Additionally, an innovative strategy for controlling Aedes aegypti will be presented, featuring bioinsecticide-bait traps designed with native entomopathogenic fungi from CEPAVE’s fungal collection. By integrating biological methods into vector control programs, these efforts address the challenges posed by resistant insect populations and vector-borne diseases effectively.

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