Exploiting insect tyrosine metabolism for vector control: laboratory and field verification

Objectives

The burden of vector-borne disease, residual malaria transmission and the threat of resistance to insecticide-based vector control all drive the current search for novel vector control tools. This research project will address the need for an effective and environmentally friendly compound for use, alongside current methods of vector control. An example of such compounds are inhibitors of insect tyrosine degradation, including nitisinone, which is FDA-approved and used for treating human metabolic diseases. The specific questions of this project are:

1. What is the mosquitocidal effect of nitisinone, a tyrosine metabolism inhibitor, when used in attractive toxic sugar baits (ATSB)?
2. What is the predicted efficacy of nitisinone as an endectocide?
3. How does nitisinone perform compared to ivermectin for mosquito control when used as endectocide?

Study objectives

1. To confirm the mosquitocidal effect of nitisinone when spiked in artificial blood meals and sugar meals.
2. To determine stability of the nitisinone and durability of its application as an ATSB in the field.
3. To model and experimentally compare the killing efficacy of nitisinone as an endectocide, against and in combination with ivermectin.