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Insects
Special Issues
Host–Pathogen Interactions: Environmental, Biotechnological and Biomedical Perspectives
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Host–Pathogen Interactions: Environmental, Biotechnological and Biomedical Perspectives

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450). This special issue belongs to the section "Insect Behavior and Pathology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 December 2026 | Viewed by 2308

Editors

Dr. Maurizio Francesco Brivio

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Applied Entomology and Parasitology, Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy
Interests: insect immunity; pest control; parasitology; applied entomology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Maristella Mastore

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Applied Entomology and Parasitology, Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy
Interests: insect immunity; experimental infection; entomopathogen; environmental entomology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Host–pathogen interactions in insects represent a critical research area for understanding ecological and evolutionary processes, as well as for developing effective strategies to control diseases affecting humans, animals, and plants. Insects play a dual role as both hosts and vectors of a wide range of pathogens, including microorganisms and metazoans.

The complex interplay between insect immune systems and pathogen virulence strategies determines infection outcomes and influences pathogen persistence and transmission within ecosystems. In this context, environmental changes, particularly those driven by climate change, can significantly affect insect physiology and immune competence, while also promoting pathogen adaptation. These dynamics are essential for predicting disease spread and for designing sustainable control strategies, including those targeting pest insects that impact urban green spaces and agricultural systems.

This Special Issue aims to gather original research articles and reviews addressing the multifaceted aspects of insect host–pathogen interactions across environmental, biotechnological, and biomedical contexts. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, insect immune responses, pathogen transmission mechanisms, vector competence, environmental influences on disease dynamics, and innovative approaches for pest insect control. By integrating interdisciplinary perspectives, this collection seeks to advance our understanding of insect–pathogen systems and to foster the development of sustainable and innovative solutions for public health and agriculture. Research articles, review articles, as well as short communications are invited. 

  • Insect immune responses to pathogens;
  • Pathogen virulence mechanisms and host adaptation;
  • Environmental and climatic influences on host–pathogen interactions;
  • Disease ecology and epidemiology in insect systems;
  • Microbiome–host–pathogen interactions;
  • Biotechnological approaches for pest and vector control;
  • Sustainable and eco-friendly strategies for managing insect-borne diseases;
  • Impacts of global change on emerging insect-associated pathogens;
  • Insect as alternative models .

Article types

We invite high-quality original research articles, review papers, and short communications. All submissions will undergo rigorous peer review in accordance with the journal’s standards.

Prof. Dr. Maurizio Francesco Brivio
Dr. Maristella Mastore
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. 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

  • insect immunity
  • host–pathogen interactions
  • entomopathogens
  • pest management
  • biotechnological applications
  • climate change impacts
  • experimental infection
  • biomedical models

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 7295 KB  
Article
Temperature Effects on the Virulence and Horizontal Transmission of Beauveria bassiana Against Zeugodacus cucurbitae with SIR Model Analysis
by Ying Fu, Jingpeng Xie, Zhongshi Zhou, Lang Fu, Jian Wen and Fengqin Cao
Insects 2026, 17(5), 475; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17050475 - 5 May 2026
Viewed by 615
Abstract
Entomopathogenic fungi are vital components of integrated pest management; however, environmental temperature is one of the key factors that limits their individual-level virulence, population-level transmission dynamics, and field efficacy. In this study, we isolated an indigenous fungal strain from a naturally infected Zeugodacus [...] Read more.
Entomopathogenic fungi are vital components of integrated pest management; however, environmental temperature is one of the key factors that limits their individual-level virulence, population-level transmission dynamics, and field efficacy. In this study, we isolated an indigenous fungal strain from a naturally infected Zeugodacus cucurbitae cadaver, and evaluated its biological characteristics, virulence, and horizontal transmission efficiency against Z. cucurbitae across 20–35 °C. A temperature-driven Susceptible–Infected–Removed (SIR) epidemiological model was developed to simulate infection dynamics and predict its epizootic potential. Morphological and molecular (ITS) analyses identified the isolate as Beauveria bassiana, designated as strain WZS5. WZS5 exhibited notable thermotolerance. At 30 °C, the strain displayed a short median germination time (7.7 h), high sporulation yield (1.1 × 108 conidia mL−1), and fast radial growth (4.8 mm d−1). Additionally, it showed substantial virulence with a median lethal concentration (LC50) of 1.32 × 107 conidia mL−1 and a median lethal time (LT50) of 5.28 days at a concentration of 1.0 × 108 conidia mL−1. Baseline biological activity was maintained even at 35 °C. At 30 °C, horizontal transmission was effective, yielding a cadaver sporulation rate of approximately 70.0%, a 4.0-day sporulation lag, and viable F1 conidia (88.6% germination). The SIR model adequately captured these dynamics (r = 0.919), predicting potential epizootic spread at 30 °C with a basic reproduction number (R0) of 1.90. This predictive framework quantifies temperature thresholds for fungal epizootics, providing valuable ecological insights for managing Z. cucurbitae in tropical and subtropical regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Host–Pathogen Interactions: Environmental, Biotechnological and Biomedical Perspectives)
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Review

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28 pages, 9325 KB  
Review
When Small Meets Smaller: Immune Modulation and Virulence Strategies in Insect–Bacteria Interactions
by Tommaso Bianchi, Maristella Mastore, Davide Banfi, Ameni Loulou, Silvia Quadroni and Maurizio F. Brivio
Insects 2026, 17(5), 515; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17050515 - 19 May 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1007
Abstract
Insects represent powerful experimental systems for investigating host–microorganism interactions, providing valuable insights into bacterial pathogenicity, immune regulation, symbiosis, and antimicrobial discovery. This review examines the complex relationships between insects and bacteria, focusing on the mechanisms that control infection, immune activation, and microbial adaptation. [...] Read more.
Insects represent powerful experimental systems for investigating host–microorganism interactions, providing valuable insights into bacterial pathogenicity, immune regulation, symbiosis, and antimicrobial discovery. This review examines the complex relationships between insects and bacteria, focusing on the mechanisms that control infection, immune activation, and microbial adaptation. Particular attention is given to the routes of pathogen entry and to the conserved innate immune pathways that coordinate host defenses, including the Toll, Imd, Duox, and Jak/Stat signaling cascades. The review illustrates how bacterial pathogens exploit toxins, immune evasion strategies, and metabolic adaptation to overcome host defenses, while insects rely on tightly regulated cellular and humoral responses, antimicrobial peptides, melanization, and microbiota-mediated homeostasis. Interactions between pathogenic and commensal bacteria in the insect gut are discussed in the context of immune tolerance, dysbiosis, and ecological adaptation. The dual role of bacterial virulence factors in both pathogenesis and symbiosis is highlighted through examples involving entomopathogenic bacteria such as Photorhabdus spp., Xenorhabdus spp., and Bacillus thuringiensis. In addition, the review summarizes the use of insect models, including Drosophila melanogaster, Galleria mellonella, Bombyx mori, and Apis mellifera, in experimental infections aimed at studying virulence mechanisms, host immune responses, and antimicrobial efficacy. Finally, multi-omic approaches, including transcriptomics, metabolomics, epigenomics, and single-cell technologies are discussed as transformative tools for dissecting host–microbe interactions at molecular and systems levels. Overall, insect–bacteria interactions emerge as dynamic and evolutionarily shaped systems in which immunity, metabolism, microbiota composition, and environmental factors are closely interconnected, offering important perspectives for both basic research and the development of sustainable biocontrol and antimicrobial strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Host–Pathogen Interactions: Environmental, Biotechnological and Biomedical Perspectives)
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