VECTOR INCRIMINATION AND EFFECTS OF ANTIMALARIAL-DRUGS ON MALARIA TRANSMISSION AND CONTROL IN THE AMAZON BASIN OF BRAZIL

World ecosystems differ significantly and a multidisciplinary malaria control approach must be adjusted to meet these requirements. These in clude a comprehensive understanding of the malaria vectors, their beha vior, seasonal distribution and abundance, susceptibility to insectici des (physiological and behavioral), methods to reduce the numbers of h uman gametocyte carriers through effective health care systems and ant imalarial drug treatment, urban malaria transmission versus rural or f orest malaria transmission, and the impact of vaccine development. Man y malaria vectors are members of species complexes and individual rela tionships to malaria transmission, seasonal distribution, biting behav ior, etc. is poorly understood. Additionally, malaria patients are not examined for circulating gametocytes and both falciparum and vivax ma laria patients may he highly infective to mosquitoes after treatment w ith currently used antimalarial drugs. Studies on the physiological an d behavioral effects of DDT and other insecticides are inconclusive an d need to be evaluated.