DDT, dieldrin and pyrethroid Insecticide resistance In African malaria vector mosquitoes: an historical review and implications for future malaria control in southern Africa

Historical records of dieldrin and DDT insecticide resistance in the African malaria vectors Anopheles gamblae and An. arabiensis have been mapped. Policy changes to the malaria control programmes in South Africa have resulted in DDT being phased out as the insecticide of choice and replaced with pyrethroids. Recent records of resistance to pyrethroids in An. gamblae in West Africa raise concern about the future usefulness of pyrethroids for malaria control in southern Africa.