Methods for measuring insecticide susceptibility levels in bed-bugs, cone-nosed bugs, fleas and lice.

A standard kit is prepared and distributed by WHO for testing insecticide resistance in adult mosquitos, and it would seem advantageous to be able to use the filter papers impregnated with DDT and dieldrin contained in this kit for testing resistance in other insects. Experiments have been successfully conducted with a view to developing methods based on the use of these papers for testing susceptibility levels in bed-bugs, cone-nosed bugs, fleas and lice. The designs of the various test methods and the results obtained are described in this paper. The tests for bed-bugs and fleas have been adopted as provisional methods by the WHO Expert Committee on Insecticides; those for cone-nosed bugs and lice have been designated tentative methods, requiring further investigation prior to the drawing up of specifications.