| Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) are the front line strategy for malaria vector control in Sub-Saharan African countries. The widespread community protection that can be achieved through ITNs is well documented. However, less is known about the potential longer term consequences of ITN use in terms of their potential to select for new vector phenotypes and genotypes that reduce the efficacy of control. Possible detrimental effects include selection for insecticide resistance, and/or shifts in be haviours. Inherent difficulties in reliably sampling vector populations in the field have impeded accurate measurement of the impact of ITNs on mosquito behaviour and survival. I propose to overcome these limitations by experimentally studying the ecology and demographic responses of vector populations to ITNs within a large-scale enclosed Semi-Field System. I will use this system to experimentally investigate the potential of ITNs to (i) select for increased zoophagy, exophily and altered bitin g activity peaks in African vector species, (ii) select for insecticide resistance, and (iii) drive vector species replacement. Information obtained will be used to predict the potential long-term evolutionary impact as well as short-term epidemiological impact of ITN use, and suggest solutions to maintain the long-term effectiveness of insecticide-based vector control programmes. |
