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Mosquito-Borne Diseases: Novel Control Strategies

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A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817). This special issue belongs to the section "Parasitic Pathogens".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2022) | Viewed by 21151

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Shengzhang Dong

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Guest Editor

Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
Interests: mosquito-pathogen interaction; mosquito genome editing and transgenics; vector biology and control

Dr. Eric Caragata

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Guest Editor

Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Department of Entomology & Nematology, Institute for Food & Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Vero Beach, Florida, 32962, USA
Interests: mosquito control; mosquito metabolism and immunity; mosquito-associated bacteria; Wolbachia

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Mosquito-borne diseases are caused by parasites, viruses, or bacteria and spread by mosquitoes, particularly those from the genera Aedes, Anopheles, and Culex. Key mosquito-transmitted pathogens that cause disease in humans include Plasmodium parasites, which cause malaria, dengue virus, West Nile virus, Chikungunya virus, and Zika virus. More than half of the world’s population lives in areas with a high risk of transmission, and it is estimated that these diseases cause more than one million deaths each year.

In the absence of effective vaccines or medical treatments, controlling mosquito populations is the most common strategy to limit the transmission of these diseases, and is typically approached through the use of insecticides, or larval source reduction. However, the declining efficacy of commonly-used insecticides, and the recent emergence and re-emergence of arboviruses like Zika and Chikungunya have highlighted the challenges involved with effectively controlling these diseases using only the historical techniques.

Fortunately, recent advances in mosquito science have spurred the development of many promising approaches to controlling mosquitoes and the diseases they transmit. These include, but are not limited to the following: gene drive-based tools for mosquito population replacement or suppression, tools for efficiently generating transgenic mosquitoes that are more resistant or even refractory to key pathogens, innovative strategies for human vaccine design against mosquito-transmitted pathogens, the growing use of Wolbachia as an agent for replacing or suppressing mosquito populations, the identification and development of new biopesticides, including those based on RNAi technologies, and the optimization of the sterile insect technique.

These new approaches to controlling mosquito-transmitted diseases offer unique opportunities to reduce logistical costs associated with mosquito control, to reduce spillover ecological impacts associated with chemical insecticides, and to reduce the risk of genetic resistance to common insecticides, and, most importantly, to reduce disease incidence. At the same time, there are inherent challenges to navigate, including regulatory uncertainty, distinct or unpredicted ecological, ethical, and social impacts, and requirements for stakeholder engagement and education.

This Special Issue will highlight some of the different, emerging approaches to controlling mosquito-transmitted diseases, from those still in the early stages of laboratory testing, to those already in semi-field or field trials. We are particularly interested in research on approaches with sustainable and/or environmental-friendly prospects, in studies that bridge the gap between basic and translational science, and studies that offer a framework for developing and employing new mosquito-control tools.

Dr. Shengzhang Dong
Dr. Eric Caragata
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

mosquito control
gene drive
genetically modified mosquitoes
biopesticide
Wolbachia
arbovirus
malaria

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 16873 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Immunogenicity Analysis of the Recombinant Plasmodium falciparum Surface-Related Antigen in Mice

by Jia-Li Yu, Qing-Yang Liu, Bo Yang, Yi-Fan Sun, Ya-Ju Wang, Jian Jiang, Bo Wang, Yang Cheng and Qiu-Bo Wang

Pathogens 2022, 11(5), 550; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11050550 - 7 May 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1718

Abstract

Plasmodium falciparum, mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, has received widespread attention owing to its severity. As a novel protein, P. falciparum surface-related antigen (PfSRA) has the structural and functional characteristics to be considered as a malaria vaccine candidate; however, limited information is available on its immunogenicity. Here, we expressed three fragments of recombinant PfSRA in an Escherichia coli system and further analyzed its immunogenicity. The results showed that rPfSRA-immunized mice produced specific antibodies with high endpoint titers (1:10,000 to 1:5,120,000) and affinity antibodies (i.e., rPfSRA-F1a (97.70%), rPfSRA-F2a (69.62%), and rPfSRA-F3a (91.87%)). In addition, the sera of immunized mice recognized both the native PfSRA and recombinant PfSRA, the rPfSRA antibodies inhibited the invasion of P. falciparum into the erythrocytes, and they were dose-dependent in vitro. This study confirmed PfSRA could be immunogenic, especially the F1a at the conserved region N-terminal and provided further support for it as a vaccine candidate against P.falciparum. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mosquito-Borne Diseases: Novel Control Strategies)

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15 pages, 1283 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Trash to Treasure: How Insect Protein and Waste Containers Can Improve the Environmental Footprint of Mosquito Egg Releases

by Megan J. Allman, Aidan J. Slack, Nigel P. Abello, Ya-Hsun Lin, Scott L. O’Neill, Andrea J. Robinson, Heather A. Flores and D. Albert Joubert

Pathogens 2022, 11(3), 373; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11030373 - 18 Mar 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2764

Abstract

Release and subsequent establishment of Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti in native mosquito populations has successfully reduced mosquito-borne disease incidence. While this is promising, further development is required to ensure that this method is scalable and sustainable. Egg release is a beneficial technique that requires reduced onsite resources and increases community acceptance; however, its incidental ecological impacts must be considered to ensure sustainability. In this study, we tested a more environmentally friendly mosquito rearing and release approach through the encapsulation of diet and egg mixtures and the subsequent utilization of waste containers to hatch and release mosquitoes. An ecologically friendly diet mix was specifically developed and tested for use in capsules, and we demonstrated that using either cricket or black soldier fly meal as a substitute for beef liver powder had no adverse effects on fitness or Wolbachia density. We further encapsulated both the egg and diet mixes and demonstrated no loss in viability. To address the potential of increased waste generation through disposable mosquito release containers, we tested reusing commonly found waste containers (aluminum and tin cans, PET, and glass bottles) as an alternative, conducting a case study in Kiribati to assess the concept’s cultural, political, and economic applicability. Our results showed that mosquito emergence and fitness was maintained with a variety of containers, including when tested in the field, compared to control containers, and that there are opportunities to implement this method in the Pacific Islands in a way that is culturally considerate and cost-effective. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mosquito-Borne Diseases: Novel Control Strategies)

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9 pages, 7929 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Experimental Evaluation of Toxicity Effects of Sodium Chloride on Oviposition, Hatching and Larval Development of Aedes albopictus

by Xiang Guo, Siyun Zhou, Jing Wu, Xiaoqing Zhang, Yuji Wang, Zixuan Li, Xiao-Guang Chen and Xiaohong Zhou

Pathogens 2022, 11(2), 262; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11020262 - 18 Feb 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1833

Abstract

Dengue virus, one of the most important mosquito-borne viruses, has shown a sharp upward trend, spreading around the world in recent years. Control of vectors Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus remains crucial for blocking dengue transmission. The lethal ovitrap (LO) is one of the cost-effective traps based on the classic “lure and kill” strategy, and finding a proper long-lasting effective toxin is key to achieving the desired effect. The concentration of inorganic salts of habitat environment plays a strong role in affecting oviposition, hatching, and development of mosquitoes, but the potential insecticide activity of Sodium Chloride (NaCl) in habitat water as well as LO still lacks research. In this study, we carried out laboratory experiments to systematically explore the effects of different concentrations of NaCl solutions on oviposition, egg hatching, and larval development of Ae. albopictus. Consequently, Ae. albopictus was found to prefer freshwater to lay eggs; whereas 48.8 ± 2.6% eggs were laid in freshwater and 20% in ≥1.0% brackish water, few eggs were laid in 3.0% NaCl solution. Compared with egg hatching, larval development of Ae. albopictus presented a higher sensibility to NaCl concentration. The mortality of the 3rd–4th larvae in 1.0% NaCl solution was 83.8 ± 8.7%, while in 3.0% it reached 100%. Considering the cumulative effect of NaCl, when NaCl concentration was ≥1.0%, no eggs could successfully develop into adults. These data suggested that NaCl solutions with a concentration ≥1.0% can be used as an effective cheap insecticide for Ae. albopictus in subtropical inland aquatic habitats, and also as the “kill” toxin in LOs. Meanwhile, the concentration range from 0 to 2.0% of NaCl solution has the potential to be used as the “lure” in LOs. The technological processes of how to use NaCl as insecticide or in LOs still needs further in-depth exploration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mosquito-Borne Diseases: Novel Control Strategies)

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15 pages, 1332 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Conserved Female-Specific Requirement for the GGT Gene in Mosquito Larvae Facilitates RNAi-Mediated Sex Separation in Multiple Species of Disease Vector Mosquitoes

by Keshava Mysore, Longhua Sun, Ping Li, Joseph B. Roethele, Joi K. Misenti, John Kosmach, Jessica Igiede and Molly Duman-Scheel

Pathogens 2022, 11(2), 169; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11020169 - 27 Jan 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3018

Abstract

Although several emerging mosquito control technologies are dependent on mass releases of adult males, methods of sex-sorting that can be implemented globally have not yet been established. RNAi screens led to the discovery of siRNA, which targets gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), a gene which is well conserved in multiple species of mosquitoes and located at the sex-determining M locus region in Aedes aegypti. Silencing the A. aegypti, Aedes albopictus, Anopheles gambiae, Culex pipiens, and Culex quinquefasciatus GGT genes resulted in female larval death, with no significant impact on male survival. Generation of yeast strains that permitted affordable expression and oral delivery of shRNA corresponding to mosquito GGT genes facilitated larval target gene silencing and generated significantly increased 5 males:1 female adult ratios in each species. Yeast targeting a conserved sequence in Culex GGT genes was incorporated into a larval mass-rearing diet, permitting the generation of fit adult male C. pipiens and C. quinquefasciatus, two species for which labor-intensive manual sex separation had previously been utilized. The results of this study indicate that female-specific yeast-based RNAi larvicides may facilitate global implementation of population-based control strategies that require releases of sterile or genetically modified adult males, and that yeast RNAi strategies can be utilized in various species of mosquitoes that have progressed to different stages of sex chromosome evolution. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mosquito-Borne Diseases: Novel Control Strategies)

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17 pages, 2078 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Broad-Based Mosquito Yeast Interfering RNA Pesticide Targeting Rbfox1 Represses Notch Signaling and Kills Both Larvae and Adult Mosquitoes

by Keshava Mysore, Longhua Sun, Limb K. Hapairai, Chien-Wei Wang, Joseph B. Roethele, Jessica Igiede, Max P. Scheel, Nicholas D. Scheel, Ping Li, Na Wei, David W. Severson and Molly Duman-Scheel

Pathogens 2021, 10(10), 1251; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10101251 - 28 Sep 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2765 | Correction

Abstract

Prevention of mosquito-borne infectious diseases will require new classes of environmentally safe insecticides and novel mosquito control technologies. Saccharomyces cerevisiae was engineered to express short hairpin RNA (shRNA) corresponding to mosquito Rbfox1 genes. The yeast induced target gene silencing, resulting in larval death that was observed in both laboratory and outdoor semi-field trials conducted on Aedes aegypti. High levels of mortality were also observed during simulated field trials in which adult females consumed yeast delivered through a sugar bait. Mortality correlated with defects in the mosquito brain, in which a role for Rbfox1 as a positive regulator of Notch signaling was identified. The larvicidal and adulticidal activities of the yeast were subsequently confirmed in trials conducted on Aedes albopictus, Anopheles gambiae, and Culex quinquefasciatus, yet the yeast had no impact on survival of select non-target arthropods. These studies indicate that yeast RNAi pesticides targeting Rbfox1 could be further developed as broad-based mosquito larvicides and adulticides for deployment in integrated biorational mosquito control programs. These findings also suggest that the species-specificity of attractive targeted sugar baits, a new paradigm for vector control, could potentially be enhanced through RNAi technology, and specifically through the use of yeast-based interfering RNA pesticides. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mosquito-Borne Diseases: Novel Control Strategies)

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6 pages, 222 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Suspected Severe Malaria in a Sudanese Patient Affected by Sickle Cell Disease Who Was Treated with Hydroxyurea

by Giulia Chiopris, Stefano Maccario, Tawaddud Hassan Eisa Artaiga, Abdalrhman Ibrahim Mohamed, Manuela Valenti and Susanna Esposito

Pathogens 2021, 10(8), 985; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10080985 - 4 Aug 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2537

Abstract

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common genetic disease in sub-Saharan Africa. The signs and symptoms of SCD usually begin in early childhood. Characteristic features of this disorder include anaemia, repeated infections, and periodic episodes of pain. Malaria is one of the infections that can occur in patients with SCD in endemic countries. Many guidelines recommend antimalarial chemoprophylaxis in these patients, although the debate on which drug should be used is still ongoing. Hydroxyurea (HU), which is considered a safe and effective treatment for both children and adults with SCD, seems to affect the incidence and severity of malaria, although these impacts have yet to be fully demonstrated. We report a case of an eight-and-a-half-year-old Sudanese boy with SCD treated with HU admitted for suspected severe malaria who showed a recrudescence after first-line treatment. Although he had undergone splenectomy and thus belonged to a category of patients at high risk for infectious complications, he was not receiving any malaria chemoprophylaxis. This case emphasises the importance of the routine administration of malaria prophylaxis to children with SCD living in endemic areas, even when they are treated with HU, and especially if they are at high risk for infectious complications because they have undergone splenectomy. There is an urgent need for further research to evaluate the most appropriate regimen and its optimal duration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mosquito-Borne Diseases: Novel Control Strategies)

17 pages, 1992 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mosquito Control Priorities in Florida—Survey Results from Florida Mosquito Control Districts

by Rishi Kondapaneni, Ashley N. Malcolm, Brian M. Vazquez, Eric Zeng, Tse-Yu Chen, Kyle J. Kosinski, Ana L. Romero-Weaver, Bryan V. Giordano, Benjamin Allen, Michael T. Riles, Daniel Killingsworth, Lindsay P. Campbell, Eric P. Caragata and Yoosook Lee

Pathogens 2021, 10(8), 947; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10080947 - 28 Jul 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4635

Abstract

Florida lies within a subtropical region where the climate allows diverse mosquito species including invasive species to thrive year-round. As of 2021, there are currently 66 state-approved Florida Mosquito Control Districts, which are major stakeholders for Florida public universities engaged in mosquito research. Florida is one of the few states with extensive organized mosquito control programs. The Florida State Government and Florida Mosquito Control Districts have long histories of collaboration with research institutions. During fall 2020, we carried out a survey to collect baseline data on the current control priorities from Florida Mosquito Control Districts relating to (1) priority control species, (2) common adult and larval control methods, and (3) major research questions to address that will improve their control and surveillance programs. The survey data showed that a total of 17 distinct mosquito species were considered to be priority control targets, with many of these species being understudied. The most common control approaches included truck-mounted ultra-low-volume adulticiding and biopesticide-based larviciding. The districts held interest in diverse research questions, with many prioritizing studies on basic science questions to help develop evidence-based control strategies. Our data highlight the fact that mosquito control approaches and priorities differ greatly between districts and provide an important point of comparison for other regions investing in mosquito control, particularly those with similar ecological settings, and great diversity of potential mosquito vectors, such as in Florida. Our findings highlight a need for greater alignment of research priorities between mosquito control and mosquito research. In particular, we note a need to prioritize filling knowledge gaps relating to understudied mosquito species that have been implicated in arbovirus transmission. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mosquito-Borne Diseases: Novel Control Strategies)

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