Acaricide resistance: Status, mechanism of development, methods of detection and its management

Abstract

The livestock sector is vital to India’s economy, supporting millions of livelihoods. However, vector-borne diseases significantly hinder this growth, causing major health, social, and economic impacts. Ticks and the acaricides used to control them contribute heavily to livestock losses through blood feeding, toxin injection, and transmission of pathogens. Although synthetic acaricides are the main tool for tick control, their indiscriminate and frequent use has led to widespread resistance in field tick populations. This paper outlines the current status of acaricide resistance in ticks, the mode of action of commonly used acaricides, mechanisms and contributing factors behind resistance development, and strategies to manage resistant strains while prolonging the effectiveness of available acaricides.