Guideline specifications for bacterial larvicides for public health. Report of the WHO Informal Consultation, 28−30 April 1999, WHO/HQ, Geneva

Overview

Dr Arata Kochi, the Director of the Communicable Diseases Prevention and Control of WHO, on behalf of the Director-General opened the Consultation.

Dr Kochi noted that the increasing production and demand for bacterial larvicides, especially Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti), would require internationally agreed guideline specifications and test methods which would assure the production of efficient and safe lar\ricide products, protecting both consumers and manufacturer. Such guidelines would also promote the harmonization of relevant national standards and thus, world trade in such pesticides.

He added that the WHO Pesticide Evaluation Scheme (WHOPES), an international programme which co-ordinates the testing and evaluation of pesticides for public health use, publishes specifications for pesticides to be used as part of the International Code of Conduct on Distribution and Use of Pesticides.

Dr Kochi informed the participants that WHOPES has been traditionally testing/evaluating chemical pesticides for vector control, but is now planning to expand its activities to include a greater variety of pests and pesticides, including microbial larvicides.

Dr M. Zaim, scientist in charge of WHOPES, presented an overview of the Scheme and elaborated on the objectives and the work plan of the meeting. He stated the objective of the meeting as to prepare draft guideline specifications for bacterial larvicides, i.e., Bti and B. sphaericus (Bsph), for consideration by the WHO Expert Committee on Vector Biology and Control "Chemistry and specifications of pesticides". This Expert Committee could recommend their adoption by the World Health Assembly and subsequent publication as official WHO specifications.

The meeting was attended by 3 representatives of national registration authorities, the German Mosquito Control Association, 7 scientists, 9 representatives of industry, representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nation (FAO) and the United Nations Environmental Protection, Chemicals (IRPTC), as well as the WHO Secretariat. The meeting reviewed the role and use of bacterial larvicides in public health as well as their registration requirements, including their quality control and safety requirements. The meeting also reviewed the requirements and objectives of their inclusion in the specifications of bacterial larvicides and drafted the guideline specifications for the most common formulations ofbacteriallarvicides. 

Editors
Dr M. Zaim/WHOPES
Number of pages
44
Reference numbers
WHO Reference Number: WHO/CDS/CPC/WHOPES/99.2
Copyright
World Health Organization - Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.