Different Strategies for Mosquito Control: Challenges and Alternatives

*Taruna Kaura, Neha Sylvia Walter, Upninder Kaur and Rakesh Sehgal*

### **Abstract**

Vector control is an imperative method for the control of vector borne diseases. Over the last few decades, many methods have been developed for their control and the main goal of these strategies is to reduce the number of mosquito populations to overcome the epidemic situations. Though despite continuous efforts of the present interventions being deployed in the vector control programs we are unable to control the disease transmission and outbreaks. Therefore, it highlights the importance of exploring the challenges which are hindering the success of these strategies and also alternative solutions for the same so as to boost the vector control interventions.

**Keywords:** vector, mosquitoes, challenges for control, alternative strategies

#### **1. Introduction**

Diseases transmitted by mosquitoes such as malaria, filariasis, dengue, chikungunya, zika and yellow fever, malaria among many others have global importance. By 2050 approximately half of the world's population is expected to be at risk of arboviral transmission [1]. The rapid increases in the geographic distribution of these mosquitoes and the diseases transmitted by them have contributed significantly to global mortality and morbidity. Vector based interventions are the most common methods to reduce the burden of the most mosquito-borne diseases and a wide range of tools exist which are mainly classified into chemical and non-chemical methods. The chemical methods involve the use of insecticides, Insecticide-treated materials (ITMs) as Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs), for spraying on indoor surfaces as Indoor Residual Spray (IRS) and among the non-chemical methods, it involves the use of biological and genetic innovations [2]. The basic purpose of vector control is to restrict disease transmission potential by minimizing or eliminating human contact with the vector. To control malaria, in malaria elimination programs the use of Long-Lasting Insecticide Nets (LLINs) and IRS are being used to control the transmission in high malaria endemic areas but due to emerging insecticide resistance, the mosquito vectors does not remain susceptible to these insecticides.

Despite of all these vector control interventions and continuous efforts to control their spread and epidemics, they continue to threat health of billions of people worldwide [3]. However, all these recent vector control methods being used are not able to successfully control the epidemics being spread by different mosquitoes. Thus, the absence of sustainable vector control due to emerging insecticide resistance has led to the development of alternative methods.
