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Table 6 Methods used to monitor for insecticide resistance in bed bugs (Cimex spp.)

From: Insecticide resistance and resistance mechanisms in bed bugs, Cimex spp. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae)

Methoda

Advantages

Disadvantages

Bioassays via dose/concentration-response assays

Provide levels of resistance

Require a susceptible strain, need large numbers of live bed bugs; regardless of mechanism(s)

Bioassays via discriminating concentration/dose assays

Standardized (e. g. WHO susceptibility test kits); simple to perform

Provide no information about levels of resistance and type of resistance mechanism(s) (except when using synergists); lack sensitivity

Biochemical assays

Require a small sample size; sensitive; provide indirect evidence on specific resistance mechanism(s)

Require sophisticated and costly equipment and the technology which pest managers do not have ready access to; require materials to be kept frozen

Molecular assays

Require a small sample size; very sensitive; provide informations on specific resistance mechanism(s); can detect resistance alleles (e. g. kdr mutations), even from dead body; could develop specific molecular markers to detect specific mechanism(s)

Require specific and costly equipment, high ongoing costs and the technology which pest managers may not have access to; costly reagents, require materials to be kept frozen

  1. aInformation from Ranson et al. [163], Seong et al. [162] and Dang et al. [16]