Four putative knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations have been documented in the voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) gene of Cimex hemipterus from several countries. However, no information regarding kdr mutations in any Chinese tropical bed bug population is available to date. In this study, a double-mutation（M918I + L1014F）kdr allele was identified in six C. hemipterus populations across Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China. The frequency of this allele was 100% in all the six examined populations. In addition, only two cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene haplotypes, with one synonymous nucleotide variation, were identified in a total of 48 individuals from six locations. The fixation and broad geographic distribution of this resistant allele questions the continued use of pyrethroids in the treatment of tropical bed bug infestations. The very low genetic diversity within and among these populations indicates that these bed bugs may have a single origin.
