MOSQUITO-CONTROL THEN, NOW, AND IN THE FUTURE

This is a memorial lecture honoring the late Professor Stanley B. Free born of the University of California. In the spirit of his life-long a cademic and research interests in mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseas es, I am presenting here the evolution of vector control technology, e specially that pertaining to mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases du ring the 20th century. Vector control technology in the first half of this century was relatively simple, utilizing source reduction, larviv orous fish, petroleum hydrocarbon oils, and some simple synthetic and botanical materials. During the 2nd half of this century, however, var ious classes of synthetic organic chemicals, improved petroleum oil fo rmulations, insect growth regulators, synthetic pyrethroids, and micro bial control agents were developed and employed in mosquito control an d control of other disease-vectoring insects. Among these groups of co ntrol agents, petroleum oil formulations have endured to be used throu gh the whole century. It is likely that petroleum oil formulations, in sect growth regulators, and microbial control agents will provide the main thrust against vectors at least during the first quarter of the 2 1st century. It is also possible that effective tools through the deve lopment of vaccines and molecular entomology techniques might become a vailable for the control of vectors and vector-borne diseases during t his period of the 21st century.