Malaria Vector Control: Challenges and Future Strategies

Abstract

The current demand for the eradication of malaria marks a new-fangled chapter in the antiquity of this illness. This has been brought about by the striking decreases in malaria caused by administration of efficient medications and vector control.  However, the emergence of pesticide resistance poses a challenge to this approach. Alternative tools must be developed to continue supporting or potentially replace insecticide-based vector control methods. Long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) continue to be the mainstays of the majority of National Malaria Control Programs in Africa, despite the large number of promising control tools tested against mosquitoes. These strategies are not enough to successfully control malaria. While these techniques are successful in lowering malaria incidence, their overall effectiveness in lowering malaria prevalence is often limited. Additionally, efficiency of LLINs and IRS is threatened by the rising rates of pesticide resistance in the targeted mosquito populations. Thus, although larvicidal treatments can be beneficial, using them in rural regions is not advised. To enhance mosquito vector control efforts and improve their quality and delivery, it is important to focus on integrated approaches. Successful malaria eradication requires close collaboration between parasitologists and entomologists, along with a comprehensive evaluation of epidemiological impact of innovative mosquito vector control strategies. This review discusses current malaria vector control strategies and highlights challenges, and promising tools that are expected to contribute to malaria eradication.