ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Insecticide in the form of space spray as an ultra low volume (ULV) aerosol are used during epidemics of vector borne diseases. Deltacide, a formulation comprising of three chemicals viz., deltamethrin 0.5 per cent w/v, S-bio-allethrin 0.71 per cent w/v and piperonyl butoxide 8.9 per cent w/v is suitable for ULV application. As this combination is found to be effective in preventing resistance development tackling the population, which had already developed resistance and cause immediate mortality, its synergistic effect was tested in Peet Grady chamber, against three species of mosquitoes, viz., Aedes aegypti, Anopheles stephensi and Culex quinquefasciatus. METHODS: Blood fed females were exposed to ULV application of deltacide in a Peet Grady chamber at four dosages viz., 0.005, 0.01, 0.02 and 0.04 ml/m2 and examined for knockdown activity at 10 min interval for 60 min. Thereafter, the mosquitoes were removed from the chamber and maintained in another room having controlled temperature (28+/-2 degrees C) and humidity (60-75%) and observed for recovery, if any, and the per cent knockdown was calculated. Mortality rate after 24 h of holding period was also determined from moribund and dead adults. RESULTS: Pairwise comparison showed that the effect of deltacide spray varied significantly (P<0.001) among the three species tested. The effectiveness was significantly higher in Ae. aegypti, when compared with that of Cx. quiquefasciatus (P<0.001) and An. stephensi (P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the efficacy of deltacide between Cx. quiquefasciatus and An. stephensi. All species of mosquitoes became inactive i.e., knocked down completely within 60 min of exposure at all the dosages tested and mortality observed was 100 per cent after 24 h of exposure. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Deltacide when tested in the form of ULV cold aerosol, the dosage 0.01 ml/m2 was effective against both Ae. aegypti, and An. stephensi, and 0.02 ml/m2 against Cx. quiquefasciatus, causing 100 per cent mortality. The efficacy of ULV application of deltacide against vector mosquitoes needs to be assessed under field conditions.