Simple, but difficult. Nowhere near as difficult, though, as replacing natural mosquito populations with modified strains that cannot transmit malaria.
Malaria infects millions of people each year.
In lieu of a viable vaccine, attention is increasingly turning to the mosquito. But control of mosquito populations is hampered by the spread of insecticide resistance and efforts to curb the disease are regularly foiled by the malaria parasite Plasmodium developing drug immunity. But not all mosquitoes are willing hosts. Some 'refractory' insects do not spread malaria because their cells hold toxins that stop Plasmodium developing. The genes encoding these toxins could make other mosquitoes harmless.