The danger of importing exotic insects of public health and agricultural significance on board aircraft and ships engaged in international traffic has long been recognized. The International Sanitary Convention of 1933 contained provisions for the disinsection of aircraft for yellow fever control. The International Sanitary Convention for Aerial Navigation in 1944 modified the 1933 Convention decisions to include provisions relating to the disinsection of aircraft for diseases other than yellow fever. The provisions of this Convention continue to serve as the basis for measures to be applied for the control of insect vectors of malaria and other diseases on aircraft engaged in international traffic, although the World Health Organization is studying the desirability of adopting supplementary international regulations. The text of the relevant part of Article XVII of the International Sanitary Convention for Aerial Navigation, 1944, is as follows: ‘In view of the special risk of conveying insect vectors of malaria and other diseases by aircraft on international flight, all such aircraft leaving affected areas will be disinsected. Notwithstanding the terms of Article 54 of the 1933 Convention as hereby amended, further disinsectization of the aircraft on or before arrival may be required if there is reason to suspect the importation of insect vectors.’