About this Research Topic
Climate change and industrialization are having an impact on the epidemiology of vector-borne diseases, resulting in severe outbreaks even in formerly non-endemic areas. In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of infectious disease outbreaks, particularly those spread by insect vectors. We have recently seen environmental crimes devastating ecosystems around the world, resulting in unparalleled imbalances in the environment and biodiversity loss. The worsening of the ecological imbalance produced by biotic and abiotic factors will have an impact on the range and abundance of insect vectors, and thus the occurrence of vector-borne diseases. Understanding how insect vectors evolve and survive in changing environments is critical for guiding and improving future pest management control and strategies.
In terms of human and plant disease morbidity and mortality, insect vectors are the most important arthropod vectors on earth. The diversity of insect vectors is notably high in tropical and subtropical areas. Biotic and abiotic factors will have an impact on the range and abundance of these insect vectors. However, members of these insect vector communities have been associated with vector-borne pathogen transmission within and between animals and plants. Furthermore, the molecular transmission mechanisms, particularly the complex interactions between the vector, pathogens, hosts, and the environment required for transmission, are far from understood. Therefore, the study of vectors that transmit pathogens and their interaction with (vertebrate or invertebrate) hosts or with disease-causing parasitic organisms (interactions with other microorganisms: predation, parasitism, commensalism, symbiosis, etc.) is essential to developing effective vector management strategies to mitigate the impact of vector-borne diseases.
The current Research Topic welcomes the submission of original research articles, reviews and mini-reviews, and it aims to highlight the latest scientific findings in the following areas: (but is not limited to):
• Vector–pathogen interactions
• Transmission cycle mechanisms and mode of transmission between the hosts.
• Bacterium-insect vector interactions
• Novel molecular approaches to preventing the spread and incidence of vector-borne diseases
• Effects of climate change (drought, greenhouse gases, warming, etc.) on the transmission/occurrence of vector-borne diseases, and the underlying mechanisms.
In terms of human and plant disease morbidity and mortality, insect vectors are the most important arthropod vectors on earth. The diversity of insect vectors is notably high in tropical and subtropical areas. Biotic and abiotic factors will have an impact on the range and abundance of these insect vectors. However, members of these insect vector communities have been associated with vector-borne pathogen transmission within and between animals and plants. Furthermore, the molecular transmission mechanisms, particularly the complex interactions between the vector, pathogens, hosts, and the environment required for transmission, are far from understood. Therefore, the study of vectors that transmit pathogens and their interaction with (vertebrate or invertebrate) hosts or with disease-causing parasitic organisms (interactions with other microorganisms: predation, parasitism, commensalism, symbiosis, etc.) is essential to developing effective vector management strategies to mitigate the impact of vector-borne diseases.
The current Research Topic welcomes the submission of original research articles, reviews and mini-reviews, and it aims to highlight the latest scientific findings in the following areas: (but is not limited to):
• Vector–pathogen interactions
• Transmission cycle mechanisms and mode of transmission between the hosts.
• Bacterium-insect vector interactions
• Novel molecular approaches to preventing the spread and incidence of vector-borne diseases
• Effects of climate change (drought, greenhouse gases, warming, etc.) on the transmission/occurrence of vector-borne diseases, and the underlying mechanisms.
Keywords: climate change, Molecular Ecology, Biodiversity, Molecular biology, Vector-borne diseases, pest management.
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.
