Work

Challenges and opportunities for strengthening South American responses to insecticide resistance in disease vectors: Lessons from the WINSA workshop in Bogotá, Colombia

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Vector-borne diseases remain a major and evolving public health challenge in South America, where arboviruses such as dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and malaria continue to expand in incidence and geographic distribution. Insecticides remain central to vector control programs; however, the rapid emergence and spread of insecticide resistance across multiple vector species increasingly threaten the effectiveness and sustainability of these interventions. In response to these challenges, the Worldwide Insecticide Resistance Network-South America (WINSA) organized a regional workshop in Bogotá, Colombia, in March 2026 to assess the current status of insecticide resistance, identify research priorities, and strengthen regional collaboration. METHODS: The workshop brought together experts from 13 South American countries and territories representing academia, public health institutions, and international organizations. Sixteen presentations addressed the current status of insecticide resistance in major disease vectors, including mosquitoes and triatomines. Discussions covered surveillance systems, resistance mechanisms, molecular and genomic tools, operational challenges, and innovative vector control strategies. RESULTS: The workshop highlighted widespread resistance to pyrethroids and organophosphates across multiple vector species in South America. High frequencies of knockdown resistance mutations (kdr) and evidence of metabolic resistance mechanisms were reported in several countries, particularly in the dengue vector Aedes aegypti. Emerging resistance to novel insecticide formulations was also identified. Participants emphasized major disparities in surveillance capacity, insufficient standardization of methodologies, and uneven geographical coverage across the region. An Integrated Vector Resistance management framework, integrating biological, molecular, genomic, and spatial surveillance approaches, was proposed to support evidence-based decision-making in vector control. Innovative approaches, including insecticide combinations, spatial repellents, and insecticidal paints, were presented as promising complementary tools for integrated vector management. CONCLUSIONS: Insecticide resistance represents a growing threat to the control of arboviral and malaria vectors in South America. Strengthening harmonized surveillance systems, integrating molecular and genomic tools, and improving regional coordination are critical priorities. WINSA provides a strategic scientific and technical platform to support collaborative research, capacity building, harmonized resistance surveillance, and the translation of resistance evidence into information that can support vector-control decision-making across the region.

Source: PLoS neglected tropical diseases

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0014809