Global status of DDT and its alternatives for use in vector control to prevent disease

Abstract

In this article I reviewed the status of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), used for disease vector control, and its benefits and risks in relation to the available alternatives. Contemporary data on DDT use were obtained from questionnaires and reports as well as a Scopus search to retrieve published articles. Nearly 14 countries use DDT for disease control, and several others are reintroducing DDT. Concerns about the continued use of DDT are fueled by recent reports of high levels of human exposure associated with indoor spraying amid accumulating evidence on chronic health effects. There are signs that more malaria vectors are becoming resistant to the toxic action of DDT. Effective chemical methods are available as immediate alternatives to DDT, but the development of resistance is undermining the efficacy of insecticidal tools. Nonchemical methods are potentially important, but their effectiveness at program level needs urgent study. To reduce reliance on DDT, support is needed for integrated and multipartner strategies of vector control. Integrated vector management provides a framework for developing and implementing effective technologies and strategies as sustainable alternatives to reliance on DDT.