High effectiveness of an adulticide-larvicide formulation for field control of sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in the city of Clorinda, Argentina

Abstract

In Argentina, Leishmania infantum (syn. L. chagasi) is the etiologic agent of human visceral leishmaniosis (HVL), and Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) is the main vector. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and residual effect of two commercial insecticide formulations, one with permethrin and pyriproxyfen as active ingredients (Dragon Max®) and the other with only permethrin (Flop®) for the control of sandflies. Both formulations were applied in chicken coops and other surroundings structures of the peridomicile of urban houses in Clorinda, Formosa (Argentina). Entomological monitoring was carried out weekly for 44 weeks after the intervention. The results showed great effectiveness and residual effect up to 21 weeks post-intervention for Dragon Max®. This result could be explained by the excellent larvicidal activity of the Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) pyriproxyfen against the immature forms of phlebotomines and by the delay on the restoration of the natural threshold of the vector population in treated sites.