On 08/05/2007, at 1:48 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > you will see my suggestion as one of three parts of a comprehensive > program. This has a marginally high chance of promoting DDT-resistant > mosquitos, but I think we agree that it's not much compared to the > widespread, indiscriminate use that leads to resistance.
See, you don't get it. I'll try to explain more clearly: There is *already* resistance. There wasn't, but in any area which once had spraying, there is now resistance. Once resistance appears in a population, it remains in that population at a low level, and selection being the force it is, it only takes a tiny selection pressure to raise that to a common or high level. > Where we seem to differ is on the validity/value of indoor wall > spraying. > I don't see the problem with this, and have seen persuasive > arguements for > the usefulness of such spraying. The only arguement that I see > against > this is the fear that it would be the camel's nose under the tent. > So, my > question is: if the amount of DDT is actually limited to the amount > needed > for wall spraying, are there any significant dangers to this use? > And if > there are, do they outweigh the benefits? This is the point: in areas where DDT has not been used in many years, then you maybe have one or two shots with DDT before it's useless again. So, if you want to do wall spraying, you need to use a cocktail, of *at least* 3 insecticides, at least 2 of which should be novel. Spraying does have a place. So do measures like general sanitation - it's the rubbish and pools of standing water where mosquitoes breed that need to be minimised. So to do drug therapies have a place. So to do vaccine trials, gene therapies, sterile male releases and GM mossies. Yes, wall spraying has an important place. But DDT is not a long term solution in any form of spraying, because that ship has sailed. Charlie ...who may have an idea of what he's talking about as he has worked in one of the world's premier malaria research labs... _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
