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Insects
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Surveillance and Control of Arthropod-Borne Diseases
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Surveillance and Control of Arthropod-Borne Diseases

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical and Livestock Entomology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2025) | Viewed by 12884

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Douglas E. Norris

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Guest Editor
The W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
Interests: mosquitoes; ticks; malaria; arboviruses; vector ecology; vector behavior
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Reneé L.M.N. Ali

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
The W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
Interests: mosquitoes; population genomics; phylogeny and taxonomy; vector bionomics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As the geographical distribution of pathogens transmitted by arthropods expands (mosquitoes, ticks, sandflies, fleas), populations are now at greater risk, with incidences of infections and fatalities increasing globally each year. Though robust vector control programs exist, many face challenges with regard to surveillance, insecticide resistance, and expanding distributions or invasive vector species. Understanding these vectors in the field can be useful in determining and implementing the appropriate mitigation strategies prior to or in case of an epidemic. This Special Issue aims to highlight a range of pathogen transmission systems and vectors, including the successes and challenges in surveillance and control. Submissions of original research and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include, but are not limited to, medical and veterinary entomology, applied vector surveillance and control, invasive vector species, modeling, novel technologies, and research-based programs.

Prof. Dr. Douglas E. Norris
Dr. Reneé L.M.N. Ali
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-blind 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

  • mosquito surveillance and control
  • tick surveillance and control
  • resistance
  • trapping
  • vector incrimination
  • invasive species

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 2276 KB  
Article
Emerging Risk of Flea-Borne Bartonella in Tropical Cities: Evidence from Stray Cats in the Klang Valley, Malaysia
by Justin Titti Alison, Auni Atikah AbdulHalim, Muhammad Rasul Abdullah Halim, Hasmawati Yahaya, Muhamad Afiq Aziz, Sazaly AbuBakar and Zubaidah Ya’cob
Insects 2025, 16(12), 1282; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16121282 - 18 Dec 2025
Viewed by 498
Abstract
Urban stray cats are often associated with ectoparasites and zoonotic pathogens due to their unsanitary living conditions and lack of veterinary care. Fleas, especially Ctenocephalides spp., are competent vectors of Bartonella spp., a genus of emerging bacterial pathogens with both public health and [...] Read more.
Urban stray cats are often associated with ectoparasites and zoonotic pathogens due to their unsanitary living conditions and lack of veterinary care. Fleas, especially Ctenocephalides spp., are competent vectors of Bartonella spp., a genus of emerging bacterial pathogens with both public health and veterinary relevance. This study investigated the presence of Bartonella DNA in ectoparasitic fleas infesting stray cats in various urban habitats within the Klang Valley, Malaysia. A total of 204 fleas were collected from 89 stray cats. Fleas were identified morphologically using established taxonomic keys under a light microscope and further validated through PCR amplification of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) gene. Detection of Bartonella spp. was conducted by targeting the citrate synthase (gltA) gene. All fleas were confirmed as Ctenocephalides felis, with an infestation prevalence of 39.33% among the cats sampled. Of 118 C. felis specimens tested, 86.44% were positive for Bartonella DNA, one of the highest worldwide and significantly surpassing previous Malaysian reports. Sequencing of 12 positive samples showed identities with B. claridgeiae (58.3%), B. henselae (25.0%), an uncultured Bartonella species (8.3%) and a Bartonella isolate from a dog in Chile (8.3%). These results highlight the significant presence of Bartonella, causative agent of cat-scratch disease in stray cats, emphasizing their potential role as urban reservoirs and vectors. The findings underscore the need for ectoparasite surveillance and zoonotic pathogen control as integral components of stray animal management in Malaysia’s urban settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surveillance and Control of Arthropod-Borne Diseases)
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21 pages, 1322 KB  
Article
Oviposition Behavior of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) from Panama Under Experimental L4-Larval Co-Occurrence Scenarios
by Reyna Tuñón, Mabelle Chong, Ambar L. Rojas, Armando Castillo, Callum Kingwell, Luis F. Chaves and Jose R. Loaiza
Insects 2025, 16(11), 1110; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16111110 - 31 Oct 2025
Viewed by 2880
Abstract
While a great deal of research has been conducted to identify the biotic mechanisms influencing the co-occurrence of aquatic Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes, including inter-specific larval competition and mating interference, few studies have been completed to investigate their oviposition behaviors under [...] Read more.
While a great deal of research has been conducted to identify the biotic mechanisms influencing the co-occurrence of aquatic Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes, including inter-specific larval competition and mating interference, few studies have been completed to investigate their oviposition behaviors under co-occurrence scenarios. Herein, we performed three experiments to understand the influence of conspecific and heterospecific L4-larvae presence in oviposition by antagonist Aedes spp. mosquitoes. We compared egg counts of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus in cups with water and conspecific or heterospecific larvae (either present or removed), or no larvae as control. In the first experiment, we used small cages; in the second experiment, we used larger cages increasing the number of treatment replicates per cage; and in the third experiment, we removed larvae before allowing gravid females to oviposit. In experiments 1 and 2, Ae. aegypti laid more eggs in conspecific cups, while Ae. albopictus distributed eggs evenly between conspecific and heterospecific cups, and both species laid fewer eggs in controls. In these experiments, more eggs were laid during the first 24 h. In experiment 3, both species laid more eggs in conspecific larvae-conditioned water as compared to controls in the first 24 h; however, in Ae. Aegypti, this inclination was lost with time. Our results suggest that co-occurrence of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus may be explained by Ae. aegypti’s ability to avoid oviposition in habitats colonized by heterospecific L4-larvae. Yet chemical cues in conspecific L4-larvae-conditioned water were insufficient to replicate this behavior, and therefore, additional cues may be involved. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surveillance and Control of Arthropod-Borne Diseases)
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18 pages, 2123 KB  
Article
Comparative Assessment of Environmental DNA and Bulk-Sample Metabarcoding in Biosecurity Surveillance for Detecting Biting Midges (Ceratopogonidae)
by Jieyun Wu, Dongmei Li, Rebijith K. Balan, Sherly George, Lora Peacock and Chandan Pal
Insects 2025, 16(6), 564; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16060564 - 27 May 2025
Viewed by 1536
Abstract
Biting midges, Culicoides spp. (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), are significant vectors capable of transmitting arboviruses, such as bluetongue virus, to livestock. New Zealand is free of Culicoides, and a national surveillance programme is in place for the early detection of an incursion. Traditionally, insect [...] Read more.
Biting midges, Culicoides spp. (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), are significant vectors capable of transmitting arboviruses, such as bluetongue virus, to livestock. New Zealand is free of Culicoides, and a national surveillance programme is in place for the early detection of an incursion. Traditionally, insect trap samples from the surveillance programme are analyzed using morphology-based diagnostics under microscopes, which is time-consuming and relies on specialized taxonomic expertise. Here, we assessed the effectiveness of DNA metabarcoding using insect bulk samples and environmental DNA (eDNA) from liquid samples collected in surveillance traps. Two Cytochrome oxidase I (COI) barcoding primer sets were employed to study biodiversity and detect exotic species. The results indicated that DNA metabarcoding with homogenized insect bulk samples had a higher overall detection accuracy rate (over 81% for both primer pairs) compared to ethanol fluid-derived eDNA samples from traps (68.42% and 55.26% for the primer sets LCO1490/HCO2198 and mlCOIintF/jgHCO2198, respectively) based on congruence with morphological identification. Detection failures were likely due to eDNA extraction issues or low target species abundance. Both approaches showed similar insect community composition and diversity in the surveillance trap samples, suggesting the potential of DNA metabarcoding for biosecurity surveillance and biodiversity assessments. Overall, DNA metabarcoding using bulk insect samples could enhance the efficiency of Culicoides surveillance, reducing workload and screening time. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surveillance and Control of Arthropod-Borne Diseases)
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17 pages, 4085 KB  
Article
Anise and Fennel Essential Oils and Their Combination as Natural and Safe Housefly Repellents
by Hataichanok Passara, Sirawut Sittichok, Cheepchanok Puwanard, Jirisuda Sinthusiri, Tanapoom Moungthipmalai, Kouhei Murata and Mayura Soonwera
Insects 2025, 16(1), 23; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16010023 - 29 Dec 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3368
Abstract
Essential oils (EOs) are effective repellents and eco-friendly alternatives. We tested single and combination EOs of fennel and anise for repellency and stability against houseflies. All treatments were stored at 27 °C for up to 360 days. Efficacies were compared against α-cypermethrin as [...] Read more.
Essential oils (EOs) are effective repellents and eco-friendly alternatives. We tested single and combination EOs of fennel and anise for repellency and stability against houseflies. All treatments were stored at 27 °C for up to 360 days. Efficacies were compared against α-cypermethrin as a reference. Safety bioassay used on two representative non-target species (guppies and earthworms) confirmed safety. The strongest repellency and stability, 100% repellency and RC50 of 0.4 mL/m3 on day 1, was achieved by a fennel + anise EO combination (1:1). After 360 days, these combinations remained effective (95% repellency), and RC50 = 0.8 mL/m3. The EO combinations were more effective than all single EOs and α-cypermethrin at all times, showing strong synergy with a synergistic repellent index of 2.4 to 3.3. This fennel + anise EO combination was more than 24 times more effective as a repellent than α-cypermethrin. Morphological damage included damaged antennae with twisted flagella and abnormal aristae. All single and combination EOs were not toxic to the non-targets and could be considered safe, whereas α-cypermethrin was highly toxic to them. Thus, the fennel + anise EO combination has great potential to be developed as a safe, natural repellent for managing housefly populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surveillance and Control of Arthropod-Borne Diseases)
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Review

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19 pages, 3987 KB  
Review
A Comprehensive Review: Biology of Anopheles squamosus, an Understudied Malaria Vector in Africa
by Valerie T. Nguyen, Dalia S. Dryden, Brooke A. Broder, Ayaan Tadimari, Primrose Tanachaiwiwat, Derrick K. Mathias, Panpim Thongsripong, Lawrence E. Reeves, Renee L. M. N. Ali, Mary E. Gebhardt, Kochelani Saili, Limonty Simubali, Edgar Simulundu, Douglas E. Norris and Yoosook Lee
Insects 2025, 16(2), 110; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16020110 - 23 Jan 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3722
Abstract
With ongoing global efforts to eliminate malaria, several countries have entered a pre-elimination stage, in which populations of the primary mosquito vector are reduced and the rates of malaria transmission are low. Efforts to eliminate malaria have changed the dynamics of disease transmission, [...] Read more.
With ongoing global efforts to eliminate malaria, several countries have entered a pre-elimination stage, in which populations of the primary mosquito vector are reduced and the rates of malaria transmission are low. Efforts to eliminate malaria have changed the dynamics of disease transmission, causing a shift in anopheline community composition in some regions. One of the most abundant species of Anopheles found in pre-elimination areas, such as southern Africa, is Anopheles squamosus (Theobald, 1901; Diptera: Culicidae). Although An. squamosus has been documented across the African continent, limited information is available about its biology. Knowing what, when, and where the malaria vector bites humans can help develop effective malaria control strategies. The aim of this review is to compile the information available on An. squamosus’s biology, ecology, distribution, behavior, and potential role in disease transmission. The review of current literature suggested that An. squamosus is abundant throughout the African continent. Studies indicate that this species occupies the same range and exhibits similar behaviors to primary malaria vectors in southern and eastern African countries, like Zambia. In conclusion, An. squamosus continues to be an understudied species that has circumvented disease control measures and further studies are needed to develop effective control strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surveillance and Control of Arthropod-Borne Diseases)
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