Jeon Jiseung, Kim Heung Chul, Klein Terry A, Jun Hojong, Choi Kwang Shik
Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
School of Life Sciences, BK21 FOUR KNU Creative BioResearch Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2025 Jan 7;19(1):e0012748. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012748. eCollection 2025 Jan.
The number of reported malaria cases transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes in the Republic of Korea (ROK) increased from 420 in 2022 to 746 in 2023, a 77.6% increase. Eight Anopheles species are currently reported in the ROK, including six species belonging to the Anopheles Hyrcanus Group and one species each belonging to the Barbirostris Group and Lindesayi Group. However, studies on insecticide resistance in the ROK has predominantly concentrated on Anopheles sinensis or more broadly, members of the Hyrcanus Group. Reported differences in vector competence and ecological characteristics of mosquito species in the ROK highlight the importance for conducting accurate evaluations of insecticide resistance for each of the Anopheles species for informing the potential efficacy of vector control to reduce malaria transmission. All eight species of Anopheles mosquitoes were collected in/near the demilitarized zone (DMZ), a malaria high-risk region in the ROK. Additional specimens were collected in Seoul [Yongsan US Army Garrison (USAG)] and Pyeongtaek (Humphreys USAG) where malaria risks are much lower. Anopheles mosquitoes were identified to species using a multiplex PCR method and then evaluated for the presence of acetylcholinesterase-1 (ace-1) and voltage-gated sodium channel (vgsc) regions to identify mutations linked to insecticide resistance. Analysis of the ace-1 region identified insecticide resistance alleles in four species of the Hyrcanus Group (An. sinensis, An. kleini, An. belenrae, and An. pullus), while ace-1 resistance alleles were not observed in the other four species. The screening of the vgsc gene fragment confirmed the presence of resistant alleles only in An. sinensis (considered a poor malaria vector) and An. kleini (a primary malaria vector) in the ROK. This study represents a preliminary investigation of insecticide resistance mutations across all Anopheles species in the ROK. These findings are crucial in advancing mosquito control strategies to mitigate future malaria infections.
韩国由按蚊传播的疟疾病例报告数量从2022年的420例增至2023年的746例，增幅达77.6%。韩国目前报告有八种按蚊，其中六种属于赫坎按蚊组，一种属于须喙按蚊组，一种属于林氏按蚊组。然而，韩国关于杀虫剂抗性的研究主要集中在中华按蚊或更广泛地说，集中在赫坎按蚊组的成员上。韩国按蚊种类在媒介能力和生态特征方面报告的差异凸显了针对每种按蚊进行准确杀虫剂抗性评估的重要性，以便了解病媒控制减少疟疾传播的潜在效果。所有八种按蚊均在韩国疟疾高风险地区非军事区及其附近采集。另外还在疟疾风险低得多的首尔[龙山美国陆军基地（USAG）]和平泽（汉弗莱斯USAG）采集了标本。使用多重PCR方法将按蚊鉴定到种，然后评估乙酰胆碱酯酶-1（ace-1）和电压门控钠通道（vgsc）区域的存在情况，以鉴定与杀虫剂抗性相关的突变。对ace-1区域的分析在赫坎按蚊组的四个物种（中华按蚊、克莱尼按蚊、贝伦拉按蚊和普卢斯按蚊）中鉴定出了杀虫剂抗性等位基因，而在其他四个物种中未观察到ace-1抗性等位基因。对vgsc基因片段的筛查证实，抗性等位基因仅在韩国的中华按蚊（被认为是不良疟疾媒介）和克莱尼按蚊（主要疟疾媒介）中存在。本研究是对韩国所有按蚊物种杀虫剂抗性突变的初步调查。这些发现对于推进蚊虫控制策略以减轻未来疟疾感染至关重要。
