Theory And Practice Of Insecticide Resistance Management: Insights For Public Health Vector Control

Abstract:
Insecticide resistance can be defined as, a heritable change in the sensitivity of a pest population that is reflected in the repeated failure of a product to achieve the expected level of control when used according to the label recommendation for that pest species. There have been large gains in the fight against malaria, with a 40% reduction in the incidence of clinical cases since 2000. A significant proportion of this reduction has been attributed to the use of insecticidal vector control interventions. However, there is a growing concern that these gains are threatened by insecticide resistance in the anopheline vectors of malaria. Whilst there are currently only four insecticide classes recommended by WHOPES for adult mosquito control, initiatives are underway to facilitate and expedite the development and introduction of novel mosquito adulticides. It is argued that insecticide resistance management, or “insecticide susceptibility maintenance” programmes, need to be implemented to maintain the utility of the novel and effective vector control interventions being developed. It is further argued that such programmes can only be effectively implemented in the context of a wider Integrated Vector Management programme.