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Malaria has long been a problem in Mali. But in 2006, the situation got worse: a malaria-carrying mosquito species named Anopheles coluzzii became increasingly resistant to common insecticides. Scientists searched for an explanation in its genes. Somehow, the species had acquired mutations that were previously only found in another species, Anopheles gambiae - despite the fact that these two species didn't usually mate with each other, and that their hybrids tended to die without producing offspring of their own, the mutations were identical.

A single genetic mutation causes resistance to DDT and pyrethroids (an insecticide class used in mosquito nets), new research concludes. With the continuing rise of resistance, the research is key as scientists say that this knowledge could help improve malaria control strategies. The researchers used a wide range of methods to narrow down how the resistance works, finding a single mutation in the GSTe2 gene, which makes insects break down DDT so it's no longer toxic. They have also shown that this gene makes insects resistant to pyrethroids raising the concern that GSTe2 gene could protect mosquitoes against the major insecticides used in public health.

Vector control is a fundamental element of the existing global strategy to fight malaria. Vector control interventions have a proven track record of successfully reducing or interrupting disease transmission, particularly in areas that are highly prone to malaria. Indoor residual spraying (IRS) and long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) are the two core, broadly applicable malaria vector control measures. This section covers both core and supplementary vector control methods and discusses the action that is required to prevent and manage the increasing challenge of malaria vector resistance to insecticides.

An example of natural selection is the frequently observed phenomenon of insecticide resistance in pest insects. Consider what happens when a pest insect population is sprayed for the first time with a chemical insecticide.

Bedbugs are a growing public health issue in the United States and around the world, but their resurgence in recent years may have been aided by humans who unwittingly helped the pests evolve numerous ways of thwarting a common insecticide, scientists say.

It may seem counter-intuitive at first but letting mosquitoes grow up and breed may be part of the solution to tackling the devastating impact of malaria. Researchers have used mathematical modeling to examine why conventional insecticides used against the insects that transmit the disease responsible for millions of deaths a year, can quickly become ineffective in areas of intensive use. Their answers may lead to unprecedented advances in malaria control.

Gregory Lanzaro, medical entomologist and professor at University of California Davis (UC Davis) and leader of the research team behind the discovery, says they are calling the hybrid mosquito a "super" mosquito because it can survive exposure to the insecticides used to treat bed nets. He and his team report their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Unprecedented multiple and extreme-level resistance is generated in mosquitoes found in the rice fields of Tiassalé in southern Côte d'Ivoire. A new study highlights the combination of stringently-replicated whole genome transcription profiling, in vivo transgenic gene expression and in vitro metabolism assays to identify and validate genes from the P450 detoxification enzyme superfamily which are highly expressed in the adult females from the area.