Malarial mosquitoes developing resistance to insecticide

Mosquitoes carrying malaria have developed a resistance to a key measure used to control the spread of the disease.

This is according to new research led by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, the report on which has been published in the Genome Research journal.

The report suggests that a species of mosquito – Anopheles funestus – has developed immunity to important insecticides called pyrethroids.

"Pyrethroid resistance in Anopheles funestus is a potential obstacle to malaria control in Africa", wrote the report's authors.

However the researchers sounded a positive note in that they have identified the gene responsible for this resistance, which produces enzymes that nullify the effect of the insecticide.

The report indicates that researchers have already begun work on countering this genetic shift in the mosquitoes, suggesting that a DNA-based test could be used to generate a wider picture of immunity among mosquitoes.

"This will be a major advance for insecticide resistance management in malaria vectors, which requires the early detection of resistance alleles," they wrote.