Italian Researchers Map Pyrethroid Resistance Mutations in Asian Tiger Mosquitoes Across 102 Provinces
A nationwide genomic dataset catalogues the frequency of two key insecticide-resistance mutations in Aedes albopictus mosquitoes sampled from 102 of Italy's 107 provinces between 2023 and 2025. The study, conducted by the MosqIRIT network under the INF-ACT project, genotyped 3,517 individual mosquitoes for mutations V1016G and F1534C, which confer resistance to pyrethroid insecticides. The dataset provides a critical baseline for managing insecticide resistance and informing mosquito control strategies across Italy.
Researchers from the Mosquito Insecticide Resistance Italian Network (MosqIRIT) have published a georeferenced dataset tracking the prevalence of two target-site mutations — V1016G and F1534C — linked to pyrethroid resistance in the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) across Italy. Sampling covered 102 of Italy's 107 provinces, making it one of the most geographically comprehensive resistance surveys conducted for this species. A total of 3,517 mosquitoes were genotyped using allele-specific PCR assays, with each record accompanied by metadata on sampling location, administrative region, developmental stage, collection method, and genotype frequencies. The dataset also integrates geographic, eco-climatic, and demographic variables to facilitate spatial modelling of resistance spread. Pyrethroids are among the most widely used insecticides in public health mosquito control, and resistance to them threatens the effectiveness of vector management programs. The resource is designed to be FAIR-compliant — findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable — to maximize its utility for future research and policy. It is expected to support both resistance monitoring programs and ecological modelling efforts aimed at predicting and mitigating resistance spread.
What's missing
The dataset does not yet report on the functional level of resistance (i.e., actual insecticide bioassay survival rates) associated with the observed allele frequencies, leaving open the question of how strongly these genotypic patterns translate into operational resistance in the field.
What different sources said
- bioRxivCenter
Tracking kdr Alleles Associated with Pyrethroid Resistance in Aedes albopictus across Italy: A Nationwide Genotypic Dataset by MosqIRIT Network.
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