Evidence of the development of resistance to DDT by Anopheles sacharovi in the Levant.

Resting A. sacharovi reappeared in the autumn of 1953 on some walls in certain localities of north Lebanon which had been treated with DDT during the preceding 18 months. Tests were made on the spot with female mosquitos having a known minimum contact of 5 to 15 minutes with DDT residues, chemically estimated at 0.1-2.0 g/m(2). The resulting mortality within 48 hours (corrected to allow for deaths observed in the control runs) was 60.1% and 45.1% according to the technique used, compared with 100% to 83% within 24 hours in similar tests on the same strains some months earlier. The specimens which died had contacted a lower average residue than those which survived, and the latter included some exposed for 15 minutes to 1.8 g/m(2).The theory is put forward that selection for DDT resistance (a phenomenon already known in A. sacharovi elsewhere) is probably occurring in these Lebanese strains after only two seasons of regular spraying. The prevalence of sooty surfaces, which absorb DDT, is considered to be a factor contributing to selection by reducing residues to a level within the "critical range" for the non-resistant mosquitos. Attention is drawn to work which indicates a similar response to DDT in strains of A. gambiae and A. funestus in Africa.The importance is stressed of planning antimalaria campaigns in a way that will either prevent selection for resistance or will permit counteraction of it before it can lead to large wastage of public money.