Approaches to Diseases Control Centered on Arthropod Vectors of Animal and Human Pathogens

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 2291

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Instituto Pasteur, Sao Paulo 01027-000, Brazil
Interests: plasmodium; avian malaria; phylogenetic diversity; vector borne disease; morphometry; mosquitoes; DNA barcoding
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Guest Editor
Laboratory of Parasitology, Institute of Ecology, Nature Research Centre, 08412 Vilnius, Lithuania
Interests: wildlife diseases; wildlife conservation; haemosporidian parasites; vector-borne diseases; clinical pathology; parasite biology; host-parasite relationship
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Vector-borne diseases pose a significant challenge in both tropical regions and temperate zones. Changes in the global climate and landscape may directly contribute to the expansion of territories and the occurrence of severe outbreaks of vector-borne diseases, including those neglected by research. Mosquitoes, sandflies, biting midges, ticks, lice, and fleas are among the primary vectors responsible for the spread of such diseases. Research on the biology and ecology of vector arthropods, pathogen detection, vector competence and capacity assessment, population control measures, surveillance strategies, and other related topics is crucial in the development of comprehensive and integrative control approaches. Encouraging studies in this field is essential.

Dr. Karin Kirchgatter
Dr. Carolina Romeiro Fernandes Chagas
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • medical entomology
  • arthropods
  • mosquitos
  • Diptera
  • vector biology
  • vector genetics
  • bioinformatics
  • computational biology
  • parasitology
  • arboviruses
  • disease control
  • disease surveillance

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 1392 KiB  
Article
Species Composition and Ecological Aspects of Immature Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in Phytotelmata in Cantareira State Park, São Paulo, Brazil
by Walter Ceretti-Junior, Antonio Ralph Medeiros-Sousa, Marcia Bicudo de Paula, Eduardo Evangelista, Karolina Morales Barrio-Nuevo, Ramon Wilk-da-Silva, Rafael Oliveira-Christe and Mauro Toledo Marrelli
Insects 2025, 16(4), 376; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16040376 - 2 Apr 2025
Viewed by 463
Abstract
Phytotelmata are aquatic microenvironments formed by the accumulation of water and organic matter in cavities of plants. These microenvironments serve as breeding sites for various species of mosquitoes, including some of epidemiological importance. Our objective was to identify the mosquito fauna in these [...] Read more.
Phytotelmata are aquatic microenvironments formed by the accumulation of water and organic matter in cavities of plants. These microenvironments serve as breeding sites for various species of mosquitoes, including some of epidemiological importance. Our objective was to identify the mosquito fauna in these microenvironments and to analyze variations in mosquito fauna diversity between bromeliads, tree holes, and bamboo internodes in Cantareira State Park, São Paulo (CSP), Brazil, where there have been reports of yellow-fever epizootics in non-human primates and circulation of plasmodia. Collections were carried out monthly from February 2015 to April 2017. The bromeliads showed greater mosquito species richness and diversity than the tree holes and bamboo internodes, as well as a very different composition. Of the 11 genera collected and 49 taxa identified, Culex (Carrolia) iridescens, Cx. ocellatus, Cx. (Microculex) imitator, and Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii were the most abundant. The phytotelmata in the CSP showed significant differences in species richness, diversity, and composition and were found to support a diverse mosquito fauna to develop, including An. cruzii and the sylvatic yellow fever virus vector Haemagogus leucocelaenus. The finding of these epidemiologically important species highlights the key role played by phytotelma breeding sites as places of refuge and species maintenance for these vectors in green areas close to urban centers. Full article
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12 pages, 1441 KiB  
Article
Molecular Characterization of Trypanosoma cruzi from Triatomine Species in São Paulo State, an Area Free of Vector-Borne Chagas Disease
by Eliana Ferreira Monteiro, Rubens Antonio da Silva, Arlei Marcili and Karin Kirchgatter
Insects 2025, 16(2), 161; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16020161 - 4 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1093
Abstract
Chagas disease (ChD) is a neglected tropical disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, endemic in 21 countries across the Americas, with increasing cases globally. In São Paulo, Brazil, vector control has focused on Triatoma infestans, but secondary triatomine species continue to pose [...] Read more.
Chagas disease (ChD) is a neglected tropical disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, endemic in 21 countries across the Americas, with increasing cases globally. In São Paulo, Brazil, vector control has focused on Triatoma infestans, but secondary triatomine species continue to pose transmission risks. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of T. cruzi in triatomine feces and characterize its genetic diversity using molecular techniques. Fecal samples were collected from 570 triatomines across 25 municipalities in São Paulo, followed by DNA extraction and PCR amplification targeting the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and the V7V8 region of the 18S rRNA gene. The results revealed a low overall infection rate (3.2%). However, excluding the triatomines collected in palm trees, all of which were negative, we found mainly Panstrongylus megistus in residences and peridomiciles, showing the highest infection rate (65%) for T. cruzi, followed by Triatoma sordida and Rhodnius neglectus. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that DTU TcI was the most prevalent genotype, consistent with previous findings in the region. This study highlights the importance of continued vector surveillance, as these secondary species are capable of maintaining T. cruzi transmission in both urban and rural environments, underscoring the ongoing risk of ChD resurgence in São Paulo. Full article
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