A Review of Agricultural Pesticides Use and the Selection for Resistance to Insecticides in Malaria Vectors

Abstract

Most national malaria control programmes rely extensively on pyrethroid insecticides to control mosquito vectors of this disease. Unfortunately, the intensive use of this class of insecticides both in public health and agriculture has led to its reduced efficacy. The objective of this review was to assess the role of agricultural pesticides use on the development of resistance to insecticides in malaria vectors and the potential impact of this resistance on control activities. We searched library catalogues and public databases for studies that included data on resistance to the major classes of insecticides: organochlorines, carbamates, organophosphates and pyrethroids, in the malaria vectors of Anopheles genera. There is a strong geographical bias in published studies many originating from West African countries. Several studies demonstrate that resistance to pyrethroids is widespread in the major malaria vectors of the Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles funestus complexes. Assessing the impact of insecticide resistance on vector control is complicated owing to the lack of studies into the epidemiological consequences of resistance on the control of malaria and other vector borne diseases.

Susceptibility test of female anopheles mosquitoes to ten insecticides for indoor residual spraying (IRS) baseline data collection in Northeastern Nigeria

“…The farmers in the community also use cypermethrin, lambdacyhalothrin, deltamethrin, dichlovos and primiphos-methyl for agricultural crop protection. Previous researchers have reported that exposure of malarial vectors to crop protection insecticides could result in development of insecticide resistance (Etang et al, 2003;Awolola et al, 2007;Müller et al, 2008;Chouaibou et al, 2008;Bigoga et al, 2012;Philbert et al, 2014). LLIN was used in Misau for protection against mosquitoes since 2002 to date and it may induce selections to pyrethroids insecticides.…”

Optimizing Strategic Insecticide Resistance Management Planning in Malaria Vectors

“…This could be ascribed to multiple confounding factors capable of complicating the interpretation of data. The most available evidence is laboratory or experimental huts-based and harnessing entomological outcomes to assess the impact resistance on mosquito biting rates, blood feeding rates, or insect mortality [153]. Conflicting findings on the impact of resistance on vectorial capacity has been reported with some results indicating an increasing effect [156][157][158][159][160] while others present decreasing outcomes [159,160].…”

“…However, the impact of resistance on the ability of malaria control intervention to reduce disease transmission is poorly understood [153]. Insecticide resistance triggers a chain reaction that through deteriorated efficacy leads to vector control failure and disease control failure may be expected [153]. Evidence linking the potential of ITNs increasing phenotypic resistance and kdr frequency [154,155] that threaten to compromise their effectiveness exists [86].…”

“…However, the impact of resistance on the ability of malaria control intervention to reduce disease transmission is poorly understood [153]. Insecticide resistance triggers a chain reaction that through deteriorated efficacy leads to vector control failure and disease control failure may be expected [153].…”

“…This can be misleading if metabolic or other resistance mechanisms are the predominant drivers of the phenomenon. There is a need for additional attention to investigate on evolution and development of resistance to insecticides by disease vectors and consequently the epidemiological impacts of malaria and other vector-borne diseases [153].…”