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Biology
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Ecological Dynamics of Vector-Borne Pathogens: From Hosts to Vectors
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Ecological Dynamics of Vector-Borne Pathogens: From Hosts to Vectors

A Special Issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737) belonging to the section "Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 5473

Editors

Dr. Sofia Ferreira Anastácio

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centro de Investigação Vasco da Gama (CIVG)/Departamento de Ciências Veterinárias, Escola Universitária Vasco da Gama (EUVG), Campus Universitário, Av. José R. Sousa Fernandes, 3020-210 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: zoonotic diseases; veterinary epidemiology; infectious diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Joana Ferrolho Gibson

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centro de Investigação Vasco da Gama (CIVG)/Departamento de Ciências Veterinárias, Escola Universitária Vasco da Gama (EUVG), Campus Universitário, Av. José R. Sousa Fernandes, 3020-210 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: infections; veterinary science
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Hugo C. R. Vilhena

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Vasco da Gama Research Centre (CIVG), Department of Veterinary Sciences, Vasco da Gama University School, Avenida José R. Sousa Fernandes 197 Lordemão, 3020-210 Coimbra, Portugal
2. Department of Veterinary Clinics, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, ICBAS-UP, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
3. Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
4. Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science—AL4AnimalS, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal
Interests: infections; veterinary science
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Vector-borne diseases are no longer restricted by borders, climates, or seasons. In a rapidly changing world, climate warming, shifting rainfall patterns, and accelerated environmental transformations are expanding the habitats of disease vectors, creating unprecedented opportunities for pathogens to invade new territories. These shifts are rewriting the global map of disease risk, often faster than our ability to respond.

At the heart of this challenge lies a complex and dynamic network constituting hosts, vectors, pathogens, and the environment, locked in constant interaction. Understanding the relationships within this network is not simply an academic exercise; it is the foundation for predicting outbreaks, protecting vulnerable populations, and designing effective, sustainable interventions.

This Special Issue seeks to bring together cutting-edge research and integrative reviews that illuminate these ecological dynamics and point toward innovative solutions. By bridging disciplines—from field ecology and molecular biology to epidemiology, climate science, and public health—we aim to generate knowledge that can inform action in the face of a growing global threat.

Dr. Sofia Ferreira Anastácio
Dr. Joana Ferrolho Gibson
Prof. Dr. Hugo C. R. Vilhena
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized 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-borne pathogens
  • host–vector interactions
  • climate change
  • disease emergence

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 1827 KB  
Article
Habitat Associations Shape Phlebotomine Sand Fly Assemblages at the Andes–Amazon Interface in Southeastern Peru
by Sergio Méndez-Cardona, Juliana A. Morales-Monje, Alejandro Lopera-Toro, Adrian Forsyth, Alexandra J. Bauer, Olivia R. Magaletta, Panpim Thongsripong and Olga L. Cabrera-Quintero
Biology 2026, 15(10), 795; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology15100795 - 16 May 2026
Viewed by 810
Abstract
Phlebotomine sand flies remain poorly studied in southeastern Peru, a region with a high burden of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Using modified ultraviolet (UV) light traps, we surveyed sand fly assemblages at Manu Biological Station during the wet season within secondary forest, Guadua bamboo [...] Read more.
Phlebotomine sand flies remain poorly studied in southeastern Peru, a region with a high burden of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Using modified ultraviolet (UV) light traps, we surveyed sand fly assemblages at Manu Biological Station during the wet season within secondary forest, Guadua bamboo forest, fruit crop plots, and peridomicile habitats. We collected 2641 sand flies representing 32 species. Habitat type was the primary driver of assemblage composition, with minimum nightly temperature as the strongest environmental correlate. Sand fly abundance was highest in secondary forest (n = 921) and peridomicile habitats (n = 836), where assemblages were dominated by Nyssomyia shawi, a generalist species. Although Guadua bamboo forests harbored lower abundance (n = 386), potential vector species comprised 92% of the assemblage compared to 42–86% in other habitats, suggesting that expanding bamboo forests may favor a higher proportion of potential CL vectors. Peridomicile assemblages consisted largely of generalist species that overlapped with adjacent forested habitats, indicating potential pathways for sylvatic-to-peridomestic spillover. Although the study’s limited scope (i.e., limited to a single season and locality) does not allow broad generalization, our findings suggest the importance of habitat in structuring patterns of potential vector exposure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Dynamics of Vector-Borne Pathogens: From Hosts to Vectors)
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Review

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27 pages, 2524 KB  
Review
Malaria in the 21st Century: Global Disease Burden, Epidemiological Insights, and Strategic Control Approaches
by Basmah F. Alharbi and Mawahib A. Ahmed
Biology 2026, 15(7), 575; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology15070575 - 3 Apr 2026
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4053
Abstract
Malaria remains a major public health issue worldwide and a repeated cause of illness and death in tropical and subtropical areas. It is caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium and transmitted through bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, but it can [...] Read more.
Malaria remains a major public health issue worldwide and a repeated cause of illness and death in tropical and subtropical areas. It is caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium and transmitted through bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, but it can also be transmitted via blood transfusions, organ transplants, and congenitally from mother to child. Despite decades of intervention efforts, millions of new cases and hundreds of thousands of deaths still occur each year, primarily in low- and middle-income countries. This review summarizes current epidemiological data on the global burden of malaria, mainly from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) World Malaria Report 2024 and Global Burden of Disease estimates. It brings together the latest evidence on worldwide malaria epidemiology, regional trends, determinants, and control strategies, with a particular focus on socio-economic factors, intervention methods, and emerging challenges such as drug resistance, climate change, and limited funding. Disease prevention and management require global, multifactorial approaches that are tailored to the local environment. Strengthening health education with locally relevant knowledge is important to improving outcomes in primary health prevention, secondary health prevention, and tertiary health prevention. The review concludes with a discussion of policy priorities needed in the future to meet the WHO Global Technical Strategy goals for malaria elimination by 2030. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Dynamics of Vector-Borne Pathogens: From Hosts to Vectors)
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