About this Research Topic
Worldwide, a large number of infectious diseases are transmitted by insects, which are called vector-borne diseases. Due to the better environmental and climatic conditions, it is in the tropics where most of these diseases are concentrated and most of them are transmitted by Dipterans (particularly by mosquitoes). However, also there are important human diseases, such as Chagas disease which are transmitted by other orders of insects such as triatomines (Hemiptera).
Due to the fact that for many of these diseases there are no effective vaccines or treatments, the fight against these epidemics has focused on the intensive use of insecticides to eradicate or interrupt their transmission. However, these strategies (emulated from that used in agriculture to combat pests) are not neutral and harmless to humans and ecosystems; because many of the active ingredients are neurotoxic and accumulate in the environment. In addition, due to the increasing resistance of vectors insects to chemical insecticides, today is very relevant to find new harmless and more nature-friendly methods of vector control than those used up to now. For this reason, an alternative or complementary tool to combat vectors is biological control; similar to the strategies used for many more years in agriculture. The concept of biological control is focused on using living forms that naturally kill the vector or affect it in such a way that it cannot transmit the disease to the target organism. Until now most of the studies have been based on some bacteria (such as Bacillus thuringiensis) and fungi such as Metarhizium spp. and Beauveria spp.
The aim of this Research Topic is to know the latest advances and investigations on biological control of vector-borne tropical human diseases; not only using microorganisms, but also any natural enemy that is being investigated and may be useful in this biological control.
This Research Topic welcomes in particular the following themes:
- Research on biological control of human tropical diseases transmitted by vectors using natural microorganisms.
- Research on biological control of human tropical diseases transmitted by vectors using parasites and natural predators.
- Research on biological control of human tropical diseases transmitted by vectors using endosymbionts.
- Research on biological control of human tropical diseases transmitted by vectors using genetically modified pathogens, an approach known as "paratransgenesis"
Research articles, reviews and meta-analyses (among other article types accepted by the journal) on said topics are welcome.
Due to the fact that for many of these diseases there are no effective vaccines or treatments, the fight against these epidemics has focused on the intensive use of insecticides to eradicate or interrupt their transmission. However, these strategies (emulated from that used in agriculture to combat pests) are not neutral and harmless to humans and ecosystems; because many of the active ingredients are neurotoxic and accumulate in the environment. In addition, due to the increasing resistance of vectors insects to chemical insecticides, today is very relevant to find new harmless and more nature-friendly methods of vector control than those used up to now. For this reason, an alternative or complementary tool to combat vectors is biological control; similar to the strategies used for many more years in agriculture. The concept of biological control is focused on using living forms that naturally kill the vector or affect it in such a way that it cannot transmit the disease to the target organism. Until now most of the studies have been based on some bacteria (such as Bacillus thuringiensis) and fungi such as Metarhizium spp. and Beauveria spp.
The aim of this Research Topic is to know the latest advances and investigations on biological control of vector-borne tropical human diseases; not only using microorganisms, but also any natural enemy that is being investigated and may be useful in this biological control.
This Research Topic welcomes in particular the following themes:
- Research on biological control of human tropical diseases transmitted by vectors using natural microorganisms.
- Research on biological control of human tropical diseases transmitted by vectors using parasites and natural predators.
- Research on biological control of human tropical diseases transmitted by vectors using endosymbionts.
- Research on biological control of human tropical diseases transmitted by vectors using genetically modified pathogens, an approach known as "paratransgenesis"
Research articles, reviews and meta-analyses (among other article types accepted by the journal) on said topics are welcome.
Keywords: Biological control; vector-borne diseases; tropical diseases; biological control by microorganisms; biological control by parasites; biological control by predators; trans-infection; paratransgenesis
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
