A Multiplex PCR Assay for Simultaneous Genotyping of kdr and ace-1 Loci in Anopheles gambiae

The selection of insecticide-resistant genotypes in Anopheles gambiae , the most important malaria vector in Africa, makes disease control problematic in several endemic areas. The early detection and monitoring of resistance associated mutations in field mosquito populations is essential for the application of successful insecticide-based control interventions. Currently, the surveillance of these mutations is performed using individual assays, some of which require sophisticated and expensive equipment. Here we describe a novel multiplex polymerase chain reaction–based assay for detecting simultaneously the five single nucleotide polymorphisms in the voltage-gated sodium channel and the ace-1 genes, which have been associated with the mosquito response to most commonly used insecticides.