About this Research Topic
Blood feeding arthropod vectors and pathogens they transmit are increasingly important global threats to human and animal health. Host skin is the dynamic, multisystem interface where complex vector-host-pathogen interactions occur. Vector mouthparts vary from piercing stylets of vessel feeders that obtain blood from venules to robust cutting digits of pool feeders that create and feed from a pool of blood. Blood meal uptake requires minutes for mosquitoes, fleas, bugs, and biting flies; one to two hours for argasid ticks; and, days to more than a week for ixodid ticks that secrete skin anchoring attachment cement. Host skin is characterized by the interplay of orchestrated host defences to those insults and arthropod vector countermeasures. Arthropod saliva molecules modulate host pain and itch, hemostasis, innate and adaptive immune responses, and wound healing. Arthropod-borne pathogens take advantage of the immunomodulated skin environment to ensure their transmission, establishment, and dissemination in the vertebrate host. Our understanding of these relationships is rapidly evolving.
The aim of this Research Topic is to provide comprehensive reviews of current understanding of the topic, identification of knowledge gaps, and to propose future research directions for blood feeding arthropod and vector-borne pathogen interactions. The structural, physiological, and immunological vertebrate host skin relationships are as diverse as the vector and host species. There are common host defense elements that a blood feeding arthropod must successfully engage to obtain a meal. Vertebrate skin presents a mixed milieu of attractants, metabolites, a complex microbiome, and defenses to the arthropod vector. The skin microbiome may also contribute to determining the immune responses elicited by vector attachment, feeding, the array of saliva molecules, and any introduced pathogens.
An objective is to develop insights into the roles, pathways, and cross talk among cells, receptors, and soluble mediators of epidermal cells, sensory neurons, immune response components, hemostasis, and wound healing for rapid blood feeders and those that modulate this environment for days to feed successfully. Successful vector modulation of host defenses results in a full blood meal and pathogen transmission. In some circumstances, repeatedly infected hosts mount immune responses that block successful vector feeding and pathogen delivery. Understanding the cellular and molecular basis of these interactions is essential for the development of novel arthropod vector-borne disease interventions.
In this Research Topic, we welcome the submission of Review or Original Research manuscripts related to the blood feeding arthropod, vertebrate host, and vector-borne pathogen research themes described below:
• Blood feeding arthropod vector (mosquitoes, bugs, fleas, biting flies, ticks) stimulation and modulation of innate and adaptive immune responses.
• Blood feeding arthropod control of skin inflammation.
• Role of blood feeding arthropod induced host immune modulation, creation of an environment for transmission and establishment of specific pathogen(s) vectored by that arthropod species.
• Skin microbiomes of vertebrate hosts and their impact on odorant attractants, vector probing and attachment, blood feeding, and immune response to vector.
• Blood feeding arthropod vector saliva stimulation and modulation of host sensory neurons, hemostasis, keratinocytes, dendritic cells, innate lymphoid cells type 2, dendritic epidermal T cells, CD4+ Th2 cells, mast cells, and basophils.
• Vector saliva modulation of wound healing, (particularly in the context of ixodid tick feeding for days to more than a week).
Review submissions, either full length or focused, are encouraged that relate to arthropod-host-pathogen immune interactions at the cutaneous interface. Potential authors are encouraged to contact the editors with an outline of their proposed submission.
Prof. Stephen Wikel is a consulting Senior Scientist of US Biologic, Inc, with whom he is also a shareholder. The other Topic Editors declare no conflict of interest.
The aim of this Research Topic is to provide comprehensive reviews of current understanding of the topic, identification of knowledge gaps, and to propose future research directions for blood feeding arthropod and vector-borne pathogen interactions. The structural, physiological, and immunological vertebrate host skin relationships are as diverse as the vector and host species. There are common host defense elements that a blood feeding arthropod must successfully engage to obtain a meal. Vertebrate skin presents a mixed milieu of attractants, metabolites, a complex microbiome, and defenses to the arthropod vector. The skin microbiome may also contribute to determining the immune responses elicited by vector attachment, feeding, the array of saliva molecules, and any introduced pathogens.
An objective is to develop insights into the roles, pathways, and cross talk among cells, receptors, and soluble mediators of epidermal cells, sensory neurons, immune response components, hemostasis, and wound healing for rapid blood feeders and those that modulate this environment for days to feed successfully. Successful vector modulation of host defenses results in a full blood meal and pathogen transmission. In some circumstances, repeatedly infected hosts mount immune responses that block successful vector feeding and pathogen delivery. Understanding the cellular and molecular basis of these interactions is essential for the development of novel arthropod vector-borne disease interventions.
In this Research Topic, we welcome the submission of Review or Original Research manuscripts related to the blood feeding arthropod, vertebrate host, and vector-borne pathogen research themes described below:
• Blood feeding arthropod vector (mosquitoes, bugs, fleas, biting flies, ticks) stimulation and modulation of innate and adaptive immune responses.
• Blood feeding arthropod control of skin inflammation.
• Role of blood feeding arthropod induced host immune modulation, creation of an environment for transmission and establishment of specific pathogen(s) vectored by that arthropod species.
• Skin microbiomes of vertebrate hosts and their impact on odorant attractants, vector probing and attachment, blood feeding, and immune response to vector.
• Blood feeding arthropod vector saliva stimulation and modulation of host sensory neurons, hemostasis, keratinocytes, dendritic cells, innate lymphoid cells type 2, dendritic epidermal T cells, CD4+ Th2 cells, mast cells, and basophils.
• Vector saliva modulation of wound healing, (particularly in the context of ixodid tick feeding for days to more than a week).
Review submissions, either full length or focused, are encouraged that relate to arthropod-host-pathogen immune interactions at the cutaneous interface. Potential authors are encouraged to contact the editors with an outline of their proposed submission.
Prof. Stephen Wikel is a consulting Senior Scientist of US Biologic, Inc, with whom he is also a shareholder. The other Topic Editors declare no conflict of interest.
Keywords: blood feeding arthropods, skin structure, skin immune system, skin microbiome, inflammatory and allergic reactions, wound healing, basophils, mast cells, cutaneous immunity, vector borne pathogens
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.
