Submit to Insects Review for Insects Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Controlling Mosquitoes to Reduce the Spread of Mosquito-Borne Diseases

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical and Livestock Entomology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 November 2022) | Viewed by 30258

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Robert Jones

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
Interests: medical entomology; vector control; mosquito-borne diseases; field studies

Dr. Louisa Messenger

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK
Interests: vector control interventions; insecticide resistance; population genetics; molecular entomology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Mosquito-borne diseases pose a threat to the health of millions of people, particularly in tropical and sub-tropical environments. In some parts of the world, these diseases are expanding their spatial ranges or re-emerging in areas where they had subsided for decades, and projections suggest that many more people could face their first exposure to a host of mosquito-borne diseases in the future as the climate warms. The control of mosquito vectors of diseases is, therefore, of continued importance. The goal of this Special Issue is to review advances in the control of mosquito-borne diseases, and will relate to the journal’s scope of applied entomology, pest management, and insects and public health.

This Special Issue will include original research articles from the laboratory and the field, as well as important case studies and a consideration of the future opportunities and threats to the control of mosquitoes of medical significance.

Dr. Robert Jones
Dr. Louisa Messenger
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Insects is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

mosquito-borne diseases
malaria
arboviruses
medical entomology
vector control

Published Papers (10 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

Jump to: Review

12 pages, 1890 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Efficacy of Pyrethroid–Pyriproxyfen and Pyrethroid–Chlorfenapyr Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) for the Control of Non-Anopheles Mosquitoes: Secondary Analysis from a Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial (cRCT)

by Constantin J. Adoha, Arthur Sovi, Boulais Yovogan, Bruno Akinro, Manfred Accrombessi, Edouard Dangbénon, Esdras M. Odjo, Hermann Watson Sagbohan, Casimir Dossou Kpanou, Gil G. Padonou, Louisa A. Messenger, Clément Agbangla, Corine Ngufor, Jackie Cook, Natacha Protopopoff and Martin C. Akogbéto

Insects 2023, 14(5), 417; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/insects14050417 - 27 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1442

Abstract

The efficacy of a vector control tool in reducing mosquito biting is crucial for its acceptability. The present study compared the vector density of Culex spp. And Mansonia spp. across clusters, which received two dual-active ingredient (a.i.) long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and a standard pyrethroid-only LLIN, and assessed the seasonality of these mosquito genera. A total of 85,723 Culex spp. and 144,025 Mansonia spp. were caught over the study period. The density of Culex and Mansonia was reduced in all three arms over the study period. There was no evidence of a significant reduction in the indoor or outdoor density of Culex spp. in either dual-a.i. LLIN arm as compared to the standard pyrethroid-only net arm. A similar trend was observed with Mansonia spp. A high density of Culex spp. was found both in rainy and dry seasons, while for Mansonia spp., this was mainly observed during the rainy season. These results suggest that the novel insecticides in the dual-a.i. LLINs did not have an additional impact on these species and that pyrethroids might still be effective on them. Further work is required to determine whether these species of mosquitoes have resistance to the insecticides tested in this trial. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Controlling Mosquitoes to Reduce the Spread of Mosquito-Borne Diseases)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 1967 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evidence of Transmission of Plasmodium vivax 210 and Plasmodium vivax 247 by Anopheles gambiae and An. coluzzii, Major Malaria Vectors in Benin/West Africa

by Razaki A. Ossè, Filémon Tokponnon, Germain Gil Padonou, Mariette E. Glitho, Aboubakar Sidick, Arsène Fassinou, Come Z. Koukpo, Bruno Akinro, Arthur Sovi and Martin Akogbéto

Insects 2023, 14(3), 231; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/insects14030231 - 25 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1854

Abstract

Current diagnostic and surveillance systems in Benin are not designed to accurately identify or report non-Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) human malaria infections. This study aims to assess and compare the prevalence of circumsporozoite protein (CSP) antibodies of Pf and P. vivax (Pv) in Anopheles gambiae s.l. in Benin. For that, mosquito collections were performed through human landing catches (HLC) and pyrethrum spray catches (PSC). The collected mosquitoes were morphologically identified, and Pf, Pv 210, and Pv 247 CSP antibodies were sought in An. gambiae s.l. through the ELISA and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques. Of the 32,773 collected mosquitoes, 20.9% were An. gambiae s.l., 3.9% An. funestus gr., and 0.6% An. nili gr. In An. gambiae s.l., the sporozoite rate was 2.6% (95% CI: 2.1–3.1) for Pf, against 0.30% (95% CI: 0.1–0.5) and 0.2% (95% CI: 0.1–0.4), respectively, for Pv 210 and Pv 247. P. falciparum sporozoite positive mosquitoes were mostly An. gambiae (64.35%), followed by An. coluzzii (34.78%) and An. arabiensis (0.86%). At the opposite, for the Pv 210 sporozoite-positive mosquitoes, An. coluzzii and An. gambiae accounted for 76.92% and 23.08%, respectively. Overall, the present study shows that P. falciparum is not the only Plasmodium species involved in malaria cases in Benin. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Controlling Mosquitoes to Reduce the Spread of Mosquito-Borne Diseases)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 1808 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Invasive Aedes japonicus Mosquitoes Dominate the Aedes Fauna Collected with Gravid Traps in Wooster, Northeastern Ohio, USA

by Ferdinand Nanfack-Minkeu, Alexander Delong, Moses Luri and Jelmer W. Poelstra

Insects 2023, 14(1), 56; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/insects14010056 - 06 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1514

Abstract

Aedes japonicus (Diptera: Culicidae), or the Asian rock pool mosquito, is an invasive mosquito in Europe and America. It was first detected outside of Asia in 1990 in Oceania. It has since expanded to North America and Europe in 1998 and 2000, respectively. Even though it is classified as a secondary vector of pathogens, it is competent to several arboviruses and filarial worms, and it is contributing to the transmission of La Crosse virus (LACV) and West Nile virus (WNV). In this study, CDC light, BG-sentinel, and gravid traps were used to collect mosquitoes between June and October 2021, in Wooster, Northeastern Ohio, USA. Morphological identification or/and Sanger sequencing were performed to identify the collected mosquitoes. Our results revealed that (adult) Ae. japonicus mosquitoes were the most abundant mosquito species collected with gravid traps in Wooster in 2021, confirming its establishment in Ohio. Molecular analyses of Ae. japonicus showed 100% nucleotide similarity with Ae. japonicus collected in Iowa (USA) and Canada, suggesting multiple introductions. Its presence may increase the risk of future arbovirus outbreaks in Wooster, Ohio. This study stresses the importance of actively monitoring the density and distribution of all members of the Ae. japonicus complex. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Controlling Mosquitoes to Reduce the Spread of Mosquito-Borne Diseases)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 2630 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Entomological Characteristics of Malaria Transmission across Benin: An Essential Element for Improved Deployment of Vector Control Interventions

by Tatchémè Filémon Tokponnon, Razaki Ossè, Germain Gil Padonou, Cyriaque Dossou Affoukou, Aboubakar Sidick, Wilfried Sewade, Arsène Fassinou, Côme Z. Koukpo, Bruno Akinro, Louisa A. Messenger, Mariam Okê, Alexis Tchévoédé, Aurore Ogouyemi-Hounto, Dorothée Kinde Gazard and Martin Akogbeto

Insects 2023, 14(1), 52; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/insects14010052 - 05 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2176

Abstract

Entomological surveillance in Benin has historically been limited to zones where indoor residual spraying was performed or where long-standing sentinel surveillance sites existed. However, there are significant country-wide gaps in entomological knowledge. The National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) assessed population dynamics of Anopheles vectors and malaria transmission in each of Benin’s 12 departments to create an entomological risk profile. Two communes per department (24/77 communes) were chosen to reflect diverse geographies, ecologies and malaria prevalence. Two villages per commune were selected from which four households (HH) per village were used for human landing catches (HLCs). In each HH, an indoor and outdoor HLC occurred between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. on two consecutive nights between July–September 2017. Captured Anopheles were identified, and ovaries were dissected to determine parous rate. Heads and thoraces were tested for Plasmodium falciparum sporozoites by ELISA. The Entomological Inoculation Rate (EIR) was calculated as the product of mosquito bite rate and sporozoite index. Bite rates from An. gambiae s.l., the primary vector species complex, differed considerably between communes; average sporozoite infection index was 3.5%. The EIR ranged from 0.02 infectious bites (ib) per human per night in the departments of Ouémé and Plateau to 1.66 ib/human/night in Collines. Based on transmission risk scales, Avrankou, Sakété and Nikki are areas of low transmission (0 < EIR < 3 ib/human/year), Adjarra, Adja Ouèrè, Zè, Toffo, Bopa, Pehunco, Pèrèrè and Kandi are of medium transmission (3 < EIR < 30 ib/human/year), and the other remaining districts are high transmission (EIR > 30 ib/human/year). The heterogeneous and diverse nature of malaria transmission in Benin was not readily apparent when only assessing entomological surveillance from sentinel sites. Prospectively, the NMCP will use study results to stratify and deploy targeted vector control interventions in districts with high EIRs to better protect populations most at-risk. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Controlling Mosquitoes to Reduce the Spread of Mosquito-Borne Diseases)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 4985 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Anopheles gambiae Trehalase Inhibitors for Malaria Vector Control: A Molecular Docking and Molecular Dynamics Study

by Eunice O. Adedeji, Gbolahan O. Oduselu, Olubanke O. Ogunlana, Segun Fatumo, Rainer Koenig and Ezekiel Adebiyi

Insects 2022, 13(11), 1070; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/insects13111070 - 19 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1791

Abstract

Trehalase inhibitors are considered safe alternatives for insecticides and fungicides. However, there are no studies testing these compounds on Anopheles gambiae, a major vector of human malaria. This study predicted the three-dimensional structure of Anopheles gambiae trehalase (AgTre) and identified potential inhibitors using molecular docking and molecular dynamics methods. Robetta server, C-I-TASSER, and I-TASSER were used to predict the protein structure, while the structural assessment was carried out using SWISS-MODEL, ERRAT, and VERIFY3D. Molecular docking and screening of 3022 compounds was carried out using AutoDock Vina in PyRx, and MD simulation was carried out using NAMD. The Robetta model outperformed all other models and was used for docking and simulation studies. After a post-screening analysis and ADMET studies, uniflorine, 67837201, 10406567, and Compound 2 were considered the best hits with binding energies of −6.9, −8.9, −9, and −8.4 kcal/mol, respectively, better than validamycin A standard (−5.4 kcal/mol). These four compounds were predicted to have no eco-toxicity, Brenk, or PAINS alerts. Similarly, they were predicted to be non-mutagenic, carcinogenic, or hepatoxic. 67837201, 10406567, and Compound 2 showed excellent stability during simulation. The study highlights uniflorine, 67837201, 10406567, and Compound 2 as good inhibitors of AgTre and possible compounds for malaria vector control. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Controlling Mosquitoes to Reduce the Spread of Mosquito-Borne Diseases)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 2434 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Epidemiological, Entomological, and Climatological Investigation of the 2019 Dengue Fever Outbreak in Gewane District, Afar Region, North-East Ethiopia

by Wondemeneh Mekuriaw, Solomon Kinde, Bezabih Kindu, Yibeyin Mulualem, Girma Hailu, Araya Gebresilassie, Chalachw Sisay, Fitsum Bekele, Hiwot Amare, Mesfin Wossen, Adugna Woyessa, Chad L. Cross and Louisa A. Messenger

Insects 2022, 13(11), 1066; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/insects13111066 - 18 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2858

Abstract

Dengue Fever (DF) is an important arthropod-borne viral infection that has repeatedly occurred as outbreaks in eastern and northeastern Ethiopia since 2013. A cross-sectional epidemiological outbreak investigation was carried out from September to November 2019 on febrile patients (confirmed malaria negative) who presented with suspected and confirmed DF at both public and private health facilities in Gewane District, Afar Region, northeastern Ethiopia. Entomological investigation of containers found in randomly selected houses belonging to DF-positive patients was undertaken to survey for the presence of Aedes larvae/pupae. A total of 1185 DF cases were recorded from six health facilities during the 3-month study period. The mean age of DF cases was 27.2 years, and 42.7% of cases were female. The most affected age group was 15–49 years old (78.98%). The total case proportions differed significantly across age groups when compared to the population distribution; there were approximately 15% and 5% higher case proportions among those aged 15–49 years and 49+ years, respectively. A total of 162 artificial containers were inspected from 62 houses, with 49.4% found positive for Aedes aegypti larva/pupae. Aedes mosquitoes were most commonly observed breeding in plastic tanks, tires, and plastic or metal buckets/bowls. World Health Organization entomological indices classified the study site as high risk for dengue virus outbreaks (House Index = 45.2%, Container Index = 49.4%, and Breteau Index = 129). Time series climate data, specifically rainfall, were found to be significantly predictive of AR (p = 0.035). Study findings highlight the importance of vector control to prevent future DF outbreaks in the region. The scarcity of drinking water and microclimatic conditions may have also contributed to the occurrence of this outbreak. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Controlling Mosquitoes to Reduce the Spread of Mosquito-Borne Diseases)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 3218 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Risk Assessment on the Release of Wolbachia-Infected Aedes aegypti in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

by Damayanti Buchori, Amanda Mawan, Indah Nurhayati, Aryati Aryati, Hari Kusnanto and Upik Kesumawati Hadi

Insects 2022, 13(10), 924; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/insects13100924 - 12 Oct 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3847

Abstract

Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti is the latest technology that was developed to eliminate dengue fever. The Ministry of Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemenristekdikti) established an expert group to identify future potential risks that may occur over a period of 30 years associated with the release of Wolbachia-infected Ae. aegypti. The risk assessment consisted of identifying different hazards that may have impacts on humans and the environment. From the consensus among the experts, there were 56 hazards identified and categorized into 4 components, namely, ecological matters, efficacy in mosquito management, economic and sociocultural issues, and public health standards. There were 19 hazards in the ecological group. The overall likelihood in the ecology of the mosquito is very low (0.05), with moderate consequence (0.74), which resulted in negligible risk. For the efficacy in mosquito management group, there were 12 hazards that resulted in very low likelihood (0.11) with high consequence (0.85). The overall risk for mosquito management efficacy was very low (0.09). There were 14 hazards identified in the public health standard with very low likelihood (0.07), moderate consequence (0.50) and negligible risk (0.04). Lastly, 13 hazards were identified in the economic and sociocultural group with low likelihood (0.01) but of moderate consequence (0.5), which resulted in a very low risk (0.09). The risk severity level of the four components leading to the endpoint risk of “cause more harm” due to releasing Wolbachia-infected Ae. aegypti is negligible (0.01). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Controlling Mosquitoes to Reduce the Spread of Mosquito-Borne Diseases)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 272 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Toxicities and Cross-Resistance of Imidacloprid, Acetamiprid, Emamectin Benzoate, Spirotetramat, and Indoxacarb in Field Populations of Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae)

by Muhammad Kamran, Sarfraz Ali Shad, Muhammad Binyameen, Naeem Abbas, Muhammad Anees, Rizwan Mustafa Shah and Abdulwahab M. Hafez

Insects 2022, 13(9), 830; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/insects13090830 - 13 Sep 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1844

Abstract

Culex quinquefasciatus is a major vector of several pathogens and is capable of breeding in various aquatic habitats. The extensive and injudicious use of synthetic chemicals against the mosquito species has led to the problem of insecticide resistance. To explore this resistance in detail, toxicity bioassays of imidacloprid, acetamiprid, emamectin benzoate, spirotetramat, and indoxacarb were performed on five Cx. quinquefasciatus field populations from Pakistan in addition to a laboratory susceptible strain. Compared with the susceptible strain, results for the five Cx. quinquefasciatus field populations were as follows: susceptibility to high resistance against imidacloprid (resistance ratio (RR): 0.09–11.18), susceptibility to moderate resistance against acetamiprid (RR: 0.39–8.00), susceptibility to emamectin benzoate (RR: 0.002–0.020), susceptibility to spirotetramat (RR: 0.01–0.07), and low to high resistance against indoxacarb (RR: 3.00–118.00). Correlation analyses revealed a significant positive correlation between imidacloprid, acetamiprid, and spirotetramat median lethal concentration (LC₅₀) values, indicating the possibility of cross-resistance. In contrast, there were no significant correlations between the LC₅₀ values of other tested insecticides, indicating the possible absence of cross-resistance. These results can assist public health authorities, medical entomologists, and pest managers to manage the insecticide resistance of Cx. quinquefasciatus as well as the associated pollution and human health issues. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Controlling Mosquitoes to Reduce the Spread of Mosquito-Borne Diseases)

20 pages, 9610 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mass Trapping and Larval Source Management for Mosquito Elimination on Small Maldivian Islands

by Akib Jahir, Najat F. Kahamba, Tom O. Knols, Gordon Jackson, Nila F. A. Patty, Sonu Shivdasani, Fredros O. Okumu and Bart G. J. Knols

Insects 2022, 13(9), 805; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/insects13090805 - 02 Sep 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3952

Abstract

Globally, environmental impacts and insecticide resistance are forcing pest control organizations to adopt eco-friendly and insecticide-free alternatives to reduce the risk of mosquito-borne diseases, which affect millions of people, such as dengue, chikungunya or Zika virus. We used, for the first time, a combination of human odor-baited mosquito traps (at 6.0 traps/ha), oviposition traps (7.2 traps/ha) and larval source management (LSM) to practically eliminate populations of the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus (peak suppression 93.0% (95% CI 91.7–94.4)) and the Southern house mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus (peak suppression 98.3% (95% CI 97.0–99.5)) from a Maldivian island (size: 41.4 ha) within a year and thereafter observed a similar collapse of populations on a second island (size 49.0 ha; trap densities 4.1/ha and 8.2/ha for both trap types, respectively). On a third island (1.6 ha in size), we increased the human odor-baited trap density to 6.3/ha and then to 18.8/ha (combined with LSM but without oviposition traps), after which the Aedes mosquito population was eliminated within 2 months. Such suppression levels eliminate the risk of arboviral disease transmission for local communities and safeguard tourism, a vital economic resource for small island developing states. Terminating intense insecticide use (through fogging) benefits human and environmental health and restores insect biodiversity, coral reefs and marine life in these small and fragile island ecosystems. Moreover, trapping poses a convincing alternative to chemical control and reaches impact levels comparable to contemporary genetic control strategies. This can benefit numerous communities and provide livelihood options in small tropical islands around the world where mosquitoes pose both a nuisance and disease threat. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Controlling Mosquitoes to Reduce the Spread of Mosquito-Borne Diseases)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

18 pages, 3339 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Chemical Control of Mosquitoes and the Pesticide Treadmill: A Case for Photosensitive Insecticides as Larvicides

by Cole J. Meier, Matthew F. Rouhier and Julián F. Hillyer

Insects 2022, 13(12), 1093; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/insects13121093 - 28 Nov 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 7604

Abstract

Insecticides reduce the spread of mosquito-borne disease. Over the past century, mosquito control has mostly relied on neurotoxic chemicals—such as pyrethroids, neonicotinoids, chlorinated hydrocarbons, carbamates and organophosphates—that target adults. However, their persistent use has selected for insecticide resistance. This has led to the application of progressively higher amounts of insecticides—known as the pesticide treadmill—and negative consequences for ecosystems. Comparatively less attention has been paid to larvae, even though larval death eliminates a mosquito’s potential to transmit disease and reproduce. Larvae have been targeted by source reduction, biological control, growth regulators and neurotoxins, but hurdles remain. Here, we review methods of mosquito control and argue that photoactive molecules that target larvae—called photosensitive insecticides or PSIs—are an environmentally friendly addition to our mosquitocidal arsenal. PSIs are ingested by larvae and produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) when activated by light. ROS then damage macromolecules resulting in larval death. PSIs are degraded by light, eliminating environmental accumulation. Moreover, PSIs only harm small translucent organisms, and their broad mechanism of action that relies on oxidative damage means that resistance is less likely to evolve. Therefore, PSIs are a promising alternative for controlling mosquitoes in an environmentally sustainable manner. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Controlling Mosquitoes to Reduce the Spread of Mosquito-Borne Diseases)

► Show Figures