Potential quality and usage improvements to the WHO susceptibility tube test kit: a users’ feedback survey

Context

The major vector control interventions use insecticides for control of vectors of disease. Repeated or regular use of these insecticide-based interventions may result in the development of insecticide resistance, in turn potentially reducing entomological and disease impact. To assess vector populations for the presence of insecticide resistance, WHO had developed an insecticide susceptibility test kit, produced and supplied by the Universiti Sains Malaysia under a memorandum of understanding with WHO. This test kit has been widely used since its development.

The test kit includes 2 plastic tubes held together by a shutter mechanism. One tube functions as a holding chamber to be lined with untreated paper, the other as an exposure chamber, where insecticide treated papers can be placed to cover the interior (see Figure below). The insects (e.g. mosquitoes, sand flies) to be tested are exposed for 1 hour in the exposure tube. The insects are then returned to the holding tube for observation and recording of mortality after 24 hours (or 72 hours for slow-acting insecticides, such as chlorfenapyr). See the “Manual for monitoring insecticide resistance in mosquito vectors and selecting appropriate interventions” for more information.

Over the years, there have been reports of quality issues associated with this equipment as well as suggestions of how their quality and user-friendliness could be improved. WHO and VCRU have worked on addressing a number of quality issues but recognize that there may be additional suggestions for improvement on this aspect and on the overall design of the kit that may improve the user-experience. To provide an opportunity for broad feedback from current users, the WHO would like to seek feedback on the quality or ease of use of the WHO susceptibility kits (at this point limited to the tube test kit, not the WHO bottle bioassay) from individuals and/or institutions that regularly use this equipment for insecticide resistance testing. 

This survey is closed.