Preface to the fifth edition

As in previous editions, the style and format of this book remains basicallyunchanged, as this has proved popular with students. Nevertheless this newedition has been extensively revised, and the sections on the control of thevarious vectors, which can quickly become outdated, have been updated to keepabreast with new control strategies. The incidence of some diseases, such aslymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, Chagas disease and Africantrypanosomiasis, has been reduced through concerted control measures; in markedcontrast, other infections, such as dengue, have become more frequent, and inseveral areas of the world there has been an increase in bedbug numbers. Andalthough the latest control strategies have reduced malaria transmission inseveral countries, in others there has been little reduction of malaria.

To keep up to date with disease outbreaks readers are recommended to log on toProMED-mail (www.promedmail.org), an electronic reporting system with dailyupdates written in several languages.

Several of the black and white line drawings and colour photographs of vectorshave been replaced with better ones, and in addition there are eight new colourplates.

As in the last edition, the more conservative classification of mosquitoes hasbeen retained. In particular, Ochlerotatus is treated as asubgenus, not a genus, and consequently all species formerly inOchlerotatus are placed, once again, in the genus Aedes. Ihave done this to make it easier for students.