Why Is Insecticide Resistance Rare in Malaria Vectors in Thailand?

Abstract

Insecticide resistance in mosquito populations is an important area in the insecticide-disease control equation. Two major types of insecticide responses have been well recognized: physiological resistance and behavioral avoidance. Globally, the development of physiological resistance to insecticides among insect groups and disease vectors has been widely documented. In Thailand, physiological resistance has emerged across all major classes of synthetic insecticides where the majority are synthetic pyrethroids. Interestingly, the physiological resistance remains limited in Anopheles vectors despite the long-term use of synthetic compounds. This phenomenon suggests that behavioral responses may play a key role in disease prevention while simultaneously reducing the likelihood of insecticide resistance in mosquito vectors.