Mosquitoes carrying malaria are evolving more quickly than insecticides can kill them – researchers pinpoint how

Once-lethal insecticides now require concerningly high concentrations to effectively kill mosquitoes. Some mosquitoes are already immune to all classes of insecticides used to control malaria.

By: Jacob A Tennessen, Harvard University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: March 26, 2026

Words: 1,044

Last Updated: 4 months, 1 week ago

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By Jacob A Tennessen, Harvard University

The fight against infectious disease is a race against evolution. Bacteria become resistant to antibiotics. Viruses adapt to spread more quickly. Diseases transmitted by insects present another evolutionary front: Insects themselves can evolve resistance to the poisons that people use to kill them.

In particular, the mosquito-borne disease malaria kills over 600,000 people annually. Since World War II, people have battled malaria with insecticides – …

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