This article is part of the supplement: Towards a research agenda for global malaria elimination .

Review

Integrated vector management for malaria control

John C Beier¹ , Joseph Keating² , John I Githure³ , Michael B Macdonald⁴ , Daniel E Impoinvil⁵ and Robert J Novak⁶

¹  Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Miller School of Medicine, and the Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy, University of Miami, South Campus, 12500 S.W. 152nd Street, Bldg. A, Miami, FL 33177, USA

²  Department of International Health and Development, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, 1440 Canal Street, Suite 2200 New Orleans, LA 70112, USA

³  Human Health Division, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya

⁴  US Agency for International Development, Global Health Bureau, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, DC 20523, USA

⁵  Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Liverpool, 111 Main Building, Leahurst, Neston, Cheshire, CH64 7TE, UK

⁶  Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and the William C. Gorgas Center for Geographic Medicine, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA

author email corresponding author email

Malaria Journal 2008, 7(Suppl 1):S4doi:10.1186/1475-2875-7-S1-S4

Published:	11 December 2008

Abstract

Integrated vector management (IVM) is defined as "a rational decision-making process for the optimal use of resources for vector control" and includes five key elements: 1) evidence-based decision-making, 2) integrated approaches 3), collaboration within the health sector and with other sectors, 4) advocacy, social mobilization, and legislation, and 5) capacity-building. In 2004, the WHO adopted IVM globally for the control of all vector-borne diseases. Important recent progress has been made in developing and promoting IVM for national malaria control programmes in Africa at a time when successful malaria control programmes are scaling-up with insecticide-treated nets (ITN) and/or indoor residual spraying (IRS) coverage. While interventions using only ITNs and/or IRS successfully reduce transmission intensity and the burden of malaria in many situations, it is not clear if these interventions alone will achieve those critical low levels that result in malaria elimination. Despite the successful employment of comprehensive integrated malaria control programmes, further strengthening of vector control components through IVM is relevant, especially during the "end-game" where control is successful and further efforts are required to go from low transmission situations to sustained local and country-wide malaria elimination. To meet this need and to ensure sustainability of control efforts, malaria control programmes should strengthen their capacity to use data for decision-making with respect to evaluation of current vector control programmes, employment of additional vector control tools in conjunction with ITN/IRS tactics, case-detection and treatment strategies, and determine how much and what types of vector control and interdisciplinary input are required to achieve malaria elimination. Similarly, on a global scale, there is a need for continued research to identify and evaluate new tools for vector control that can be integrated with existing biomedical strategies within national malaria control programmes. This review provides an overview of how IVM programmes are being implemented, and provides recommendations for further development of IVM to meet the goals of national malaria control programmes in Africa.