Insecticide Resistance Surveillance for Aedes aegypti | Dept of Defense

Executive Summary

The Department of Defense is procuring services for conducting insecticide resistance surveillance for Aedes aegypti in Honduras. This contract is aimed at generating actionable data to inform vector control strategies.

Key Requirements (Verbatim Excerpts)

• The delivery addresses are:
• USDA-ARS-CMAVE, Mosquito & Fly Research Unit, 1600-1700 SW 23rd Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32608, Attn.: Alden Estep, phone number +1 352-374-5806.

Scope & Requirements

The Performance Work Statement (PWS) defines the requirements for conducting the study entitled “Integrated phenotypic and genotypic Aedes aegypti insecticide resistance surveillance in military relevant regions in eastern and central Honduras.” The study is funded by Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response Branch (GEIS) of the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Division (AFHSB) intramural funding. The country where the activities will be carried out is Honduras.

Current FHP prevention strategies against mosquito-borne diseases rely on the effectiveness of permethrin-treated uniforms as the first line of defense. Dengue fever, the most widespread Aedes-borne disease worldwide, represents a serious health threat to U.S. service members deployed to endemic areas. Joint Task Force Bravo (JTF-B), which conducts joint operations across Central America, is deployed in several dengue-endemic regions of Honduras, particularly across Comayagua, Cortés, and Olancho departments. In 2024, these departments reported 31.1% of the national dengue burden. This operational context coincides with widespread insecticide resistance in the primary dengue vector, Aedes aegypti, particularly to pyrethroids, thereby compromising the effectiveness of standard vector control tools used to protect deployed personnel. The primary aim of this work is to determine whether this combined entomological phenotypic–molecular approach can function as a scalable, field-adapted surveillance system. Its utility is twofold. Operationally, it will generate actionable data on resistance patterns that directly inform the effectiveness of pyrethroid-based personal protection and vector control tools used by JTF-B. Methodologically, it will assess whether kdr genotyping can serve as a proxy diagnostic for resistance in settings where insectary capacity is limited, reducing dependence on labor-intensive bioassays. If validated, this framework could be expanded across Honduras and other JTF-B deployment areas, strengthening evidence-based decision-making for vector control interventions.

Establishing Aedes aegypti insecticide resistance surveillance capacity for NAMRU SOUTH in Honduras requires the services of research institutions that can collect and identify specimens as well as conduct laboratory experiments for phenotypic and genotypic insecticide resistance assessment on these specimens. In this regard, this project will allow the execution of Aedes aegypti insecticide resistance surveillance in Honduras to generate actionable data that can be used for the benefit of the warfighter.

Study sites will prioritize the departments of Comayagua, Cortes and Olancho. Other regions might be considered upon coordination with NAMRU SOUTH. The contractor will provide general classes of services including (but not limited to) project management, collection and processing of entomological samples, and shipment of collected samples. In addition, the contractor shall provide Aedes-borne disease incidence data available from local health authorities to correlate with vector densities and phenotypic and genotypic status. Monitoring activities will be conducted by NAMRU SOUTH via monthly conference calls and one monitoring visit to selected field sites during the contract period. Monthly, short reports are expected during the conduction of the study.

The following elements are required:

1. FIELD ACTIVITIES

1. Coordinate entomological collection activities with NAMRU SOUTH Entomology and local partners including Ministry of Health (MoH).
2. Conduct collections of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in at least 10 blocks within and/or around military bases on each site, specific collection sites will be selected by convenience. At each site, both ovitraps (n=40) and adult aspiration on households (n=50) will be carried out.
3. Provide transportation and storage facilities for egg collections papers and adult mosquitoes collection from field to the laboratory.
4. Storage wild caught Ae. aegypti on DNA/RNA Shield until molecular analysis.
5. Provide field data and assist with preparation of field collection database (NAMRU SOUTH template).

1. LABORATORY ACTIVITIES

1. Hatch egg papers from each site together and rear until adulthood to obtain F0 and F1 progeny under standard insectary conditions.
2. Assess insecticide susceptibility in Ae. aegypti using CDC bottle bioassays including discriminating doses of permethrin and deltamethrin, along with increased doses (5X and 10X) for each insecticide. Test at least 120 female individuals from each location and bioassay. Register knocked down data at diagnostic time. Subsequently, susceptible and resistant individuals will be transferred to separate holding containers with 10% sugar solution to evaluate mortality after 24 hours. After recording the mortality rate at 24 hours, both susceptible and resistant individuals will be separated and stored at -20°C until molecular analyses.
3. Perform individual DNA extraction in both adult mosquitoes from bioassays (n=240) and wild-caught mosquitoes from field (n=150). Additionally, pools for DNA extraction will be carried out in mosquitoes collected by aspiration (n=250).
4. Perform PCR and Sanger sequencing for kdr alleles detection (410, 989 and 1016) up to 240 Ae. aegypti from bioassays and up to 150 Ae. aegypti from adult aspirations.
5. Provide access to UNAH laboratory and use of equipment for dengue and other pathogen detection and bloodmeal analysis in ticks and hematophagous diptera.
6. Contact the Ministry of Health to request additional tick specimens for identification and/or pathogen screening.

1. DATA SHARING

1. The contractor will provide collection of data information on field site location, habitat description, collection method, vector species identified, and numbers recorded per collection period per site as well as relevant epidemiological data as requested by NAMRU SOUTH Entomology.
2. Provide input for report and scientific manuscript preparation.

1. EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS

1. The contractor will cover all the costs of equipment, supplies and materials necessary for the execution of their activities. These include (but not limited to) supplies for collection, transport, storage and identification of entomological samples, morphological identification, DNA isolation, molecular identification and pathogen screening.
2. NAMRU SOUTH Entomology will provide field equipment and/or accessories when performing joint Aedes collections. Will also provide reagents, consumables and labor for Aedes DNA extraction and Nanopore sequencing experiments.

1. Shipments

1. Upon request and payment by NAMRU SOUTH or USDA-CMAVE, contractors shall conduct shipments of samples from field sites to USDA-CMAVE or NAMRU SOUTH, respectively.

The delivery addresses are:

1. USDA-ARS-CMAVE, Mosquito & Fly Research Unit, 1600-1700 SW 23rd Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32608, Attn.: Alden Estep, phone number +1 352-374-5806.
2. NAMRU SOUTH, Entomology Department, Av. Venezuela cuadra 36 S/N, Bellavista, Callao, Peru, Attn.: Gissella Vasquez, phone number +51 614-4143

1. The contractor shall include the following clearly labeled into sample shipments:

1. Entomological samples collected as part of the study.
2. Nucleic acid material obtained from collected samples covered under this contract.

1. Required documentation for specimen exportation. USDA-CMAVE will provide appropriate import permits.

The delivery addresses are:

1. USDA-ARS-CMAVE, Mosquito & Fly Research Unit, 1600-1700 SW 23rd Drive, Gainesville, FL, 32608, Attn.: Alden Estep, phone number +1 352-374-5806.

The period of performance is 12 months. Include option Year 1 and Year 2.

Compliance & Qualifications

• Standard FAR clauses apply.

How to Prepare Your Bid

1. Ensure you have the capability to conduct entomological sample collection and laboratory analysis as specified.
2. Establish communication with local health authorities in Honduras to facilitate data sharing and coordination.
3. Prepare to provide detailed reports and data analysis as required by NAMRU SOUTH throughout the contract period.