Assessment of the developmental and neurotoxicity of the mosquito control larvicide, pyriproxyfen, using embryonic zebrafish.

TitleAssessment of the developmental and neurotoxicity of the mosquito control larvicide, pyriproxyfen, using embryonic zebrafish.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2016
AuthorsTruong, L, Gonnerman, G, Simonich, MT, Tanguay, RL
JournalEnviron Pollut
Volume218
Pagination1089-1093
Date Published2016 Nov
ISSN1873-6424
KeywordsAnimals, Brazil, Culicidae, Female, Insect Vectors, Insecticides, Male, Mosquito Control, Pyridines, Zebrafish, Zika Virus Infection
Abstract

In 2014, as an attempt to address the Zika health crisis by controlling the mosquito population, Brazil took the unprecedented action of applying a chemical larvicide, pyriproxyfen, to drinking water sources. The World Health Organization has established an acceptable daily intake of pyriproxyfen to be 100 μg per kg of body weight per day, but studies have demonstrated that at elevated doses (>5000 mg/kg), there are adverse effects in mice, rats and dogs. To better understand the potential developmental toxicity of pyriproxyfen, we utilized the embryonic zebrafish. Our results demonstrate that the concentration resulting in 50% of animals presenting adverse morphological effects (EC50), including craniofacial defects, was 5.2 μM for daily renewal exposure, and above this concentration, adverse behavioral effects were also observed in animals that followed a static exposure regimen. Thus, zebrafish data suggest that the developmental toxicity of pyriproxyfen may not be limited to insects.

DOI10.1016/j.envpol.2016.08.061
Alternate JournalEnviron. Pollut.
PubMed ID27593350
PubMed Central IDPMC5048575
Grant ListP30 ES000210 / ES / NIEHS NIH HHS / United States