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Arthropods as Vectors of Human and Animal Pathogens: Vector Ecology...
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Arthropods as Vectors of Human and Animal Pathogens: Vector Ecology and Disease Transmission

A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Infection Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2025) | Viewed by 8560

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Panpim Thongsripong

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Vero Beach, FL 32962, USA
Interests: microbiology; ecology; medical microbiology; veterinary sciences; genetics; bioinformatics; computational biology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Vector-borne diseases pose significant threats to both human and animal health worldwide, causing substantial morbidity, mortality, and economic burden. Understanding the ecology of vectors and its influence on disease transmission dynamics is crucial, as it enables the development of effective control and prevention strategies. For example, knowledge of how environmental, pathogen, and host factors influence arthropod vectors and contribute to disease spread can improve predictive modeling, inform public health interventions, and guide targeted prevention efforts. This Special Issue aims at advancing our understanding in this field so that we can mitigate the impact of these diseases and improve human and animal health.

We are pleased to invite you to submit original research articles, short communications, and review articles that provide new insights into vector ecology and its influence on the transmission dynamics of vector-borne diseases in humans and animals. Research areas may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Ecological perspectives of disease vectors (e.g., mosquitoes, ticks, flies, sandflies, triatomine bugs, tsetse flies, fleas, and mites).
  • Interaction of disease vectors with other components within the disease transmission cycle and its impact on disease transmission.
  • Ecological context of vector-borne pathogen infection and transmission.
  • Transdisciplinary research examining the environmental impact on vectors and/or vector-borne disease spread.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Panpim Thongsripong
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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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. Biology is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 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

  • vector
  • disease ecology
  • vector-borne pathogens
  • mosquito
  • tick
  • flies
  • sandflies
  • triatomine
  • tsetse
  • fleas
  • mites

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 5865 KB  
Article
Contrasting La Crosse Virus Lineage III Vector Competency in Two Geographical Populations of Aedes triseriatus and Aedes albopictus Mosquitoes
by Lindsey R. Faw, Philip M. Armstrong, Sally L. Paulson and Gillian Eastwood
Biology 2025, 14(12), 1771; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14121771 - 11 Dec 2025
Viewed by 800
Abstract
La Crosse virus (LACV) is a mosquito-borne virus (family Peribunyaviridae) that can result in severe human infection in children under sixteen. Historically, LACV comprised two lineages, predominantly in the Midwest and Appalachian regions of the US. In 2005, a virus of a [...] Read more.
La Crosse virus (LACV) is a mosquito-borne virus (family Peribunyaviridae) that can result in severe human infection in children under sixteen. Historically, LACV comprised two lineages, predominantly in the Midwest and Appalachian regions of the US. In 2005, a virus of a third lineage was detected in the Northeast; however, this and subsequently isolated strains of lineage III have not, to date, been implicated in human disease. One hypothesis for this discrepancy is that vector mosquitoes have a reduced vector competency for LACV lineage III, thus preventing horizontal transmission and clinical cases. Here, we utilized two mosquito species, Aedes triseriatus, the native vector, and Aedes albopictus, an invasive potential vector, each from both a historic LACV range (Virginia) and from the region of lineage III (Connecticut). Utilizing oral feeding and intrathoracic inoculation methods of viral exposure, rates of LACV infection, dissemination, and transmission (proxied via salivary secretion) and capability for vertical transmission (proxied via virus-positive ovaries) were determined by harvesting mosquito bodies, legs, saliva, and ovaries, respectively. Overall, we did not detect consistent differences in transmission between any lineage, species, or state of origin, at day 14 post-infection. However, we highlight the transmission potential of LACV lineage III in all mosquito populations tested here, representing the first evidence of lineage III competency in Aedes triseriatus and Aedes albopictus, indicating the potential for human disease. We thus suggest that the absence of human cases of LACV lineage III is not modulated by a lack of vector competency in mosquitoes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arthropods as Vectors of Human and Animal Pathogens: Vector Ecology and Disease Transmission)
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19 pages, 1578 KB  
Article
Spatial Exposure Responses of Malaria Vectors to Eucalyptus grandis (W. Hill ex Maiden) and Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf Essential Oils
by Martha A. Kaddumukasa, Norah M. Mutekanga, Faisal Kula, Charles Batume and Agapitus B. Kato
Biology 2025, 14(12), 1768; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14121768 - 11 Dec 2025
Viewed by 867
Abstract
Background: Recently, the use of volatile compounds as spatial repellents have received special attention as a promising strategy for adult An. gambiae s.l control. Anopheles gambiae s.l is a primary vector of malaria, an arthropod-borne disease of global significance. Current strategies for controlling [...] Read more.
Background: Recently, the use of volatile compounds as spatial repellents have received special attention as a promising strategy for adult An. gambiae s.l control. Anopheles gambiae s.l is a primary vector of malaria, an arthropod-borne disease of global significance. Current strategies for controlling mosquitoes heavily rely on vector control methods. Understanding the responses of these vectors to volatile compounds will be helpful in the formulation of repellants or attractants for control vector populations. This study was conducted in Nwoya district, Uganda, one of the high-malaria-transmission areas in the northern part of Uganda, as one of the ways of reducing contact between the parasite, vector, and malaria outbreak. Materials and Methods: In this study, a laboratory-reared female An. gambiae Kisumu strain from Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) insectaries were used to examine spatial behavior responses of An. gambiae to selected EOs of Eucalyptus grandis and Cymbopogon citratus. Spatial activity responses were measured using a Y-tube olfactometer under controlled conditions using three replicates in various concentrations of the tested EOs. These oils were extracted by steam distillation and the main constituents identified using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Results: Mosquito response curves indicating effective repellency concentrations are reported, as well as the gas chromatography–mass spectrophotometry analysis results. For Eucalyptus grandis, the two components with the highest composition were L-α terpineol and Eucalyptol, while those for Cymbopogon citratus were Lavandulol, methyl ether, and citral. Other components had a percentage composition less than five but they might play a big role in repellent activity against mosquito species. Conclusions: The mosquito repellency results in this study indicate that Eucalyptus grandis and Cymbopogon citratus EOs could be used as mosquito repellents, providing more evidence that natural products have promising lead compounds for further development of botanical spatial repellents. Further characterization of EOs and testing on mosquito behavior related to the prevention of malaria and other vector-borne diseases will promote innovation in vector control and provide new vector control tools that are needed in this era of insecticide resistance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arthropods as Vectors of Human and Animal Pathogens: Vector Ecology and Disease Transmission)
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14 pages, 1037 KB  
Article
Adulticidal Activity of the Insect Growth Regulators Methoprene and Cyromazine in House Flies (Musca domestica L.): Evidence from Feeding Trials
by Gökhan Erdoğan
Biology 2025, 14(11), 1495; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14111495 - 26 Oct 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1418
Abstract
House flies (Musca domestica L.) are major vectors of numerous pathogens affecting both humans and animals. The global distribution of house flies has been steadily increasing the expansion of human settlements, increased waste production, and the growth of livestock farms established to [...] Read more.
House flies (Musca domestica L.) are major vectors of numerous pathogens affecting both humans and animals. The global distribution of house flies has been steadily increasing the expansion of human settlements, increased waste production, and the growth of livestock farms established to meet the demand for animal-derived products. Frequent exposure to intensive pesticide applications in agricultural and livestock areas has accelerated the development of insecticide resistance, posing a serious challenge to sustainable control efforts. The widespread and repeated use of conventional chemical insecticides has contributed to rapid resistance evolution in many populations worldwide. In this study, the acute toxic effects of two insect growth regulators (IGRs)—cyromazine and methoprene—commonly used in the larval stages of house flies were evaluated against adult flies. Treatments were applied (3 replicates) orally via 40% sugar-water solutions containing 1%, 5%, and 10% concentrations, and bioassays were conducted on eight distinct house fly populations. The results showed that cyromazine caused average adult mortalities of 76.35%, 81.00%, and 84.50% within 48 h, while methoprene produced 70.62%, 99.37%, and 100% mortality at the same concentrations. At 10%, methoprene achieved 100% mortality across all populations, whereas cyromazine induced mortality ranging from 44.28% to 100%. These findings suggest that IGRs can be effective alternatives to conventional insecticides and can be integrated into IPM/IVM programs to reduce chemical use and delay resistance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arthropods as Vectors of Human and Animal Pathogens: Vector Ecology and Disease Transmission)
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18 pages, 2173 KB  
Article
Enhancing Entomological Surveillance: Real-Time Monitoring of Mosquito Activity with the VECTRACK System in Rural and Urban Areas
by Manuel Silva, Bruna R. Gouveia, José Maurício Santos, Nélia Guerreiro, Alexandra Monteiro, Soraia Almeida and Hugo Costa Osório
Biology 2025, 14(8), 1047; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14081047 - 14 Aug 2025
Viewed by 1535
Abstract
Background: Mosquitoes from the Aedes (Ae.) genus are vectors of dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and other arboviruses, posing a significant public health threat. In 2005, Aedes aegypti was detected for the first time in Madeira Island, Portugal, in the city of Funchal, [...] Read more.
Background: Mosquitoes from the Aedes (Ae.) genus are vectors of dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and other arboviruses, posing a significant public health threat. In 2005, Aedes aegypti was detected for the first time in Madeira Island, Portugal, in the city of Funchal, and has since become established in the region. In 2017, Aedes albopictus was detected for the first time in mainland Portugal. These invasion events require targeted entomological surveillance, which demands substantial human resources and a high management capacity for traditional vector monitoring. Following promising results obtained in laboratory conditions, a field-deployable model of a bioacoustic sensor for the automatic classification of mosquitoes integrated with a Biogents Sentinel trap as part of the VECTRACK system was tested in three regions in Portugal. Methods: The VECTRACK system was deployed in three locations: Funchal on Madeira Island, and Palmela and Algarve on mainland Portugal. Catch bags were manually inspected at intervals ranging from daily to weekly, resulting in a total of 38 captures in Madeira, 10 in Palmela, and 7 in the Algarve. Manual identifications were compared with those generated by the VECTRACK system, and the degree of correlation between the two datasets was assessed using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Results: A total of 176 mosquitoes were captured in Madeira, 732 in Palmela, and 143 in the Algarve. Both manual and sensor-based identifications demonstrated similar performance, with high correlation observed between the two methods. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients indicated high agreement for both female and male mosquitoes across all sites: Madeira: females = 0.84, males = 0.92, Palmela: females = 0.99, males = 0.84, Algarve: females = 0.98, and males = 0.99, all with p-values < 0.001. Conclusions: The VECTRACK system demonstrated strong performance in accurately distinguishing mosquitoes from non-mosquitoes, differentiating between Aedes and Culex genera, and identifying the sex of individual specimens. These promising results provide a solid foundation for the development of automated early warning systems and enhance mosquito surveillance strategies, which are critical for timely responses to potential vector-borne disease outbreaks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arthropods as Vectors of Human and Animal Pathogens: Vector Ecology and Disease Transmission)
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15 pages, 2611 KB  
Article
Transgenerational Effects of Cadmium and Copper Exposure on Development, Reproduction, and Midgut Integrity in Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae): Implications for Vector Ecology Under Metal Pollution
by Ahmed I. Hasaballah, Ramy E. El-Ansary, Mahmoud M. Zidan, Areej A. Al-Khalaf and Abdelwahab Khalil
Biology 2025, 14(8), 1004; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14081004 - 5 Aug 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1073
Abstract
Heavy metal contamination in freshwater ecosystems poses persistent threats to aquatic organisms and public health. This study evaluates the transgenerational toxicity of cadmium chloride and copper sulfate on Culex pipiens, focusing on development, reproduction, and midgut histopathology over two successive generations. Larval [...] Read more.
Heavy metal contamination in freshwater ecosystems poses persistent threats to aquatic organisms and public health. This study evaluates the transgenerational toxicity of cadmium chloride and copper sulfate on Culex pipiens, focusing on development, reproduction, and midgut histopathology over two successive generations. Larval bioassays showed cadmium chloride to be more toxic than copper sulfate, with early instars exhibiting higher sensitivity (LC50 = 8.66 μg/L for Cd; 175.63 μg/L for Cu). Both metals significantly delayed larval and pupal development, reduced fecundity, and decreased egg hatchability in a dose-dependent manner. Histopathological examination revealed midgut epithelial degeneration, vacuolation, and brush border loss, with copper sulfate inducing more severe cytotoxicity. These findings confirm that sublethal, chronic metal exposure can impair physiological and reproductive traits across generations. Moreover, this study highlights the utility of mosquitoes as sensitive bioindicators of aquatic pollution, and underscores the long-term ecological implications of heavy metal contamination on vector dynamics and disease transmission. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arthropods as Vectors of Human and Animal Pathogens: Vector Ecology and Disease Transmission)
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9 pages, 1803 KB  
Article
Effects of Temperature and Bacillus velezensis on the Development, Longevity, and Reproduction of Culex quinquefasciatus
by Abdullah A. Alomar
Biology 2025, 14(4), 357; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14040357 - 30 Mar 2025
Viewed by 1547
Abstract
Temperature is a key environmental factor that influences mosquito phenotypic traits and the effectiveness of vector control strategies. Bacillus velezensis (Bv) has shown promise as a microbial biocontrol agent due to its insecticidal properties; however, its effects on mosquitoes under different [...] Read more.
Temperature is a key environmental factor that influences mosquito phenotypic traits and the effectiveness of vector control strategies. Bacillus velezensis (Bv) has shown promise as a microbial biocontrol agent due to its insecticidal properties; however, its effects on mosquitoes under different environmental conditions are still unexplored. This study investigated the effects of Bv (strain WHk23) exposure on the life history traits of Culex quinquefasciatus at two temperature conditions (20 °C and 30 °C), focusing on development, longevity, and reproductive fitness. Results showed that temperature significantly affected mosquito development and longevity, with faster development and shorter adult longevity observed at 30 °C compared to 20 °C. Exposure to Bv further accelerated larval development and reduced adult emergence, with the effects being more pronounced at 30 °C than at 20 °C. Exposure to Bv reduced adult longevity regardless of temperature. In addition, Bv-exposed females had larger body sizes but lower fecundity and fertility, suggesting that Bv exposure may cause physiological stress that disrupts reproductive processes. These findings highlight the importance of considering environmental factors in mosquito control programs while reinforcing the efficacy of Bv as a sustainable biocontrol agent under a variety of environmental conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arthropods as Vectors of Human and Animal Pathogens: Vector Ecology and Disease Transmission)
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