Algae in mosquito breeding sites and the effectiveness of the mosquito larvicide Bacillus thuringiensis H-14

World J Microbiol Biotechnol. 1993 Mar;9(2):156-9. doi: 10.1007/BF00327826.

Abstract

The presence of cyanobacteria generally decreased the effectiveness of Bacillus thuringiensis H-14 (BTI) as a mosquito larvicide. The effect was more pronounced when the mosquito larvae were exposed to BTI in the presence of several cyanobacterial strains. No synergistic or antagonistic effect between the δ-endotoxin from BTI and the hepatotoxin from cyanobacteria was seen. Neurotoxic cyanobacterial strains caused very fast paralysis in mosquito larvae; the decreases in the effectiveness of BTI when tested in combination with a neurotoxic strain might be due to the effect of this paralytic action on the feeding rate of the mosquito larvae.