THE OTHER COST OF
INSECTICIDE RESISTANCE
Janet McAllister
Division of Vector-Borne Diseases,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
ABSTRACT
Studies have shown that while spraying insecticides
to kill adult mosquitoes only reaches a segment of the mosquito population,
spraying is often sufficient to decrease disease transmission during an
epidemic. High levels of resistance will noticeably affect control efforts;
while low levels may exist that go unnoticed. Two case studies of insecticide
resistance are presented. Results from
these studies are discussed in the framework of how many mosquitoes are expected
to be killed when low levels of resistance are present. The effect of this
additional reduction on our ability to stop pathogen transmission is unknown.
It is important to monitor and document resistance, especially when it occurs
at low levels, to understand its impact in disease transmission.