Selection pressures influencing pyrethroid resistance in An. gambiae

Malaria, infection is caused by protozoan parasite of the genus Plasmodium, has been recorded as far back as 2700 BC in Chinese documents. Human malaria is known to be caused by five different Plasmodium species, Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale, Plasmodium malariae and a recently reported fifth human malaria parasite, Plasmodium knowlesi which was formerly known to cause malaria only in macaque monkeys (Cox-Singh et al., 2008). The vast majority of cases in terms of mortalities and morbidities are caused by P. falciparum. In 1880, the first malaria parasite was seen under a microscope by Charles Laveran and 20 years later a mosquito stage parasite was identified, establishing the role of mosquitoes to the malaria parasite cycle of transmission. Throughout the 1970s up to early 1990s, interest in the malaria problem declined with very little investment in research, drug discovery or control programs. It is agreed that during this period the malaria situation deteriorated and mortality increased especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. Over the past decade, there has been a tremendous expansion in the financing and implementation of malaria control programs.