Evaluation of Temephos as a Larvicide against Simulium Ochraceum (Diptera: Simuliidae) in Guatemala1

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Abstract
The application of solid temephos (at a concentration of 0.1 ppm/60 min) as a larvicide against Simulium ochraceum, the vector of Central American onchocerciasis, was carried out from March 1979 to January 1980 in the Barretál River Basin, San Vicente Pacaya, Guatemala. Biweekly treatment of streams in Lavaderos Valley, where perennial streams were abundant, completely eliminated the vector larvae from the treated water within 3 months, reducing black fly density (number of adults per man per 3 h) by 83.8%. By contrast, in Zapote Valley the same treatments were insufficient, mainly due to temporary streams that often remained undiscovered and, thus, untreated during most of the rainy season. Black fly density was thus not reduced in and near this valley. These results indicate that solid temephos is effective in the field against S. ochraceum larvae in permanent streams. However, if a larvicidal control program includes preimaginal habitats in temporary streams, dosage should be increased or formulation of larvicide should be improved.

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