project titled "Integrated phenotypic and genotypic Aedes aegypti insecticide resistance surveillance in military relevant regions in eastern and central Honduras”.view on SAM.gov

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT Introduction: 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. 2. Background: 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. Pyrethroid resistance in Ae. aegypti is mediated by multiple mechanisms, among which mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel gene are the most consistently validated markers. Specifically, three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with knockdown resistance ( kdr ) have been widely reported as reliable indicators in field populations. Additional mutations have been identified more recently across the Americas; however, their functional contribution to resistance phenotypes remains unresolved, highlighting a critical gap in the current evidence base. 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 r…