Scientists map genes of bed bug pests
Source: Agencies |
January 21, 2011, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
RESEARCHERS in the United States have sequenced the entire genetic map of the bed bug, and said they may be able to find out how the pests can survive strong pesticides.
The gene map has provided some prime suspects for genes that confer resistance - the ability to survive poisons, the team at Ohio State University reported on Wednesday.
"The resurgence of bed bugs poses an urgent situation as infestations are rampant globally, nationally, and locally," they wrote in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS ONE.
"The control of these medicinally important insect pests in urban environments costs billions of dollars annually and typically requires the use of large quantities of pesticides/insecticides."
The bloodsucking bugs, which can cause itching but do not transmit serious diseases, have made a comeback in cities such as Paris and New York in recent years.
They said several hypotheses had been proposed to explain the sudden resurgence of bed bugs worldwide, including frequent international travel, increased exchange of used furniture, a shift from usage of broad-spectrum insecticides to more specific and selective control tactics such as baits for other urban pests, and insecticide resistance within the insect.
"While bedbugs are poised to become one of the major household pests across the US in the coming years, we know very little about their genetic makeup and their mechanisms of resistance to insecticides," said Omprakash Mittapalli, who worked on the study.
"Pinpointing such defense mechanisms and the associated genes could lead to the development of novel methods of control that are more effective," Mittapalli added in a statement.
The gene map has provided some prime suspects for genes that confer resistance - the ability to survive poisons, the team at Ohio State University reported on Wednesday.
"The resurgence of bed bugs poses an urgent situation as infestations are rampant globally, nationally, and locally," they wrote in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS ONE.
"The control of these medicinally important insect pests in urban environments costs billions of dollars annually and typically requires the use of large quantities of pesticides/insecticides."
The bloodsucking bugs, which can cause itching but do not transmit serious diseases, have made a comeback in cities such as Paris and New York in recent years.
They said several hypotheses had been proposed to explain the sudden resurgence of bed bugs worldwide, including frequent international travel, increased exchange of used furniture, a shift from usage of broad-spectrum insecticides to more specific and selective control tactics such as baits for other urban pests, and insecticide resistance within the insect.
"While bedbugs are poised to become one of the major household pests across the US in the coming years, we know very little about their genetic makeup and their mechanisms of resistance to insecticides," said Omprakash Mittapalli, who worked on the study.
"Pinpointing such defense mechanisms and the associated genes could lead to the development of novel methods of control that are more effective," Mittapalli added in a statement.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
