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Together in the Fight against Arthropod-Borne Diseases: A One Health Perspective

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 January 2018) | Viewed by 38710

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Giovanni Benelli

grade E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Interests: arthropod vectors; entomology; insect control; mosquitoes; nano-synthesis; nanoparticles; nano-pesticides; nanotechnology; non-target effects; ticks
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Sengottayan Senthil-Nathan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Sri Paramakalyani Centre for Excellence in Environmental Sciences, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Alwarkurichi 627 412, Tamil Nadu, India
Interests: pest science; medical entomology; insect–plant interactions; bioactive compounds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Arthropod-borne diseases represent a major risk for humans, livestock, pets and wildlife worldwide. The rapid spread of highly-aggressive arboviruses and parasites, along with the development of resistance in their arthropod vectors represent a huge challenge in modern parasitology and tropical medicine. As recently highlighted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to successfully fight arthropod-borne diseases, a One Health approach is necessary. Indeed, One Health pointed out that the human health is strongly connected to the health of animals and the environment. The main aim of One Health is to encourage the cooperation among multiple disciplines to achieve the best health for humans, animals, and the environment.

Therefore, in this scenario, the present Special Issue will include articles by expert authorities on arthropod vector ecology and control, as well as in prevention and treatment of arthropod-borne diseases. Special emphasis will be devoted to the two main dangerous groups of arthropod-borne diseases, the ones vectored by mosquitoes and by ticks. Prevention and control programs against the spread of dengue, West Nile, Chikungunya and Zika virus, as well as other arboviruses, such as St. Louis encephalitis and Japanese encephalitis, will be considered. Research efforts on the ecology and control of their mosquito vectors will be particularly appreciated, with special reference to the development of behavior-based control tools and eco-friendly biopesticides. With reference to tick and tick-borne disease, our Special Issue accepts contributions on tick ecology and control, as well as insights on the epidemiology, prevention and treatment of babesiosis, Lyme disease, tularemia, and other tick-borne diseases. Lastly, we welcome submissions dealing with other arthropod-borne diseases, such as Human African trypanosomiasis and Chagas disease, as well as their insect vectors.

Dr. Giovanni Benelli
Dr. Sengotthayan Senthil Nathan
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 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 2500 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

  • Arbovirus
  • Behavior-based control
  • Biosafety
  • Chikungunya
  • Chagas disease
  • Dengue
  • Glossina vectors
  • Human African Trypanosomiasis
  • Lyme disease
  • Malaria
  • Mosquito control
  • Pesticides and biopesticides
  • Tick and tick-borne diseases
  • West Nile virus
  • Vector ecology
  • Zika virus

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review, Other

3 pages, 269 KiB  
Editorial
Together in the Fight against Arthropod-Borne Diseases: A One Health Perspective
by Giovanni Benelli and Sengottayan Senthil-Nathan
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(23), 4876; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16234876 - 3 Dec 2019
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2521
Abstract
Arthropod-borne diseases represent a major risk for humans, livestock, pets and wildlife worldwide [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Together in the Fight against Arthropod-Borne Diseases: A One Health Perspective)

Research

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11 pages, 2572 KiB  
Article
Toxicity of Beauveria bassiana-28 Mycelial Extracts on Larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus Mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae)
by Perumal Vivekanandhan, Thangaraj Kavitha, Sengodan Karthi, Sengottayan Senthil-Nathan and Muthugoundar Subramanian Shivakumar
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15(3), 440; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15030440 - 3 Mar 2018
Cited by 62 | Viewed by 7330
Abstract
Microbial-based pest control is an attractive alternative to chemical insecticides. The present study sought to evaluate the toxicity of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana-28 ethyl acetate extracts on different larval stages and pupae of Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes. B. bassiana-28 ethyl acetate [...] Read more.
Microbial-based pest control is an attractive alternative to chemical insecticides. The present study sought to evaluate the toxicity of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana-28 ethyl acetate extracts on different larval stages and pupae of Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes. B. bassiana-28 ethyl acetate mycelial extracts produced mosquitocidal activity against larvae and pupae which was comparable to that of the commercial insecticide B. bassiana-22 extract. The LC50 (lethal concentration that kills 50% of the exposed larvae) values of B. bassiana-28 extracts for 1st to 4th instar larvae and pupae were 11.538, 6.953, 5.841, 3.581 and 9.041 mg/L respectively. Our results show that B. bassiana-28 ethyl acetate mycelial extract has strong insecticidal activity against larval and pupal stages of Cx. quinquefasciatus. Fourier transform infrared spectrum study of B. bassiana-28 extract shows peaks at 3226.91; 2927.94; 1593.13; 1404.18; 1224.18; 1247.94; 1078.21; 1018.41; 229.69; and 871.82 cm−1. Major spectral peaks were observed at 3226.91 cm−1, assigned to N–H stretching, 2927.94 cm−1 assigned to C–H bonding and 1595.13 cm−1 assigned to C–O stretching. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry studies of B. bassiana-28 ethyl acetate crude extract showed presence of six major compounds viz. N-hexadecanoic acids (13.6040%); Z,Z-9,12 octadecadienic acid (33.74%); 9-eicosyne (10.832%); heptacosane (5.148%); tetrateracontane (5.801%); and 7 hexyleicosane (5.723%). Histology of mosquito midgut tissue shows tissue lysis as a result of B.bassiana-28 extract exposure. The study shows that bioactive molecules obtained from B. bassiana-28 mycelial extract has insecticidal properties and can be used as alternative for mosquito control. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Together in the Fight against Arthropod-Borne Diseases: A One Health Perspective)
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27 pages, 26625 KiB  
Article
A Geographical Information System Based Approach for Integrated Strategies of Tick Surveillance and Control in the Peri-Urban Natural Reserve of Monte Pellegrino (Palermo, Southern Italy)
by Alessandra Torina, Valeria Blanda, Marcellocalogero Blanda, Michelangelo Auteri, Francesco La Russa, Salvatore Scimeca, Rosalia D’Agostino, Rosaria Disclafani, Sara Villari, Vittoria Currò and Santo Caracappa
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15(3), 404; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15030404 - 27 Feb 2018
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4472
Abstract
Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) are bloodsucking arthropods involved in pathogen transmission in animals and humans. Tick activity depends on various ecological factors such as vegetation, hosts, and temperature. The aim of this study was to analyse the spatial/temporal distribution of ticks in six sites [...] Read more.
Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) are bloodsucking arthropods involved in pathogen transmission in animals and humans. Tick activity depends on various ecological factors such as vegetation, hosts, and temperature. The aim of this study was to analyse the spatial/temporal distribution of ticks in six sites within a peri-urban area of Palermo (Natural Reserve of Monte Pellegrino) and correlate it with field data using Geographical Information System (GIS) data. A total of 3092 ticks were gathered via dragging method from June 2012 to May 2014. The species collected were: Ixodes ventalloi (46.09%), Hyalomma lusitanicum (19.99%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus (17.34%), Rhipicephalus pusillus (16.11%), Haemaphisalis sulcata (0.36%), Dermacentor marginatus (0.10%), and Rhipicephalus turanicus (0.03%). GIS analysis revealed environmental characteristics of each site, and abundance of each tick species was analysed in relation to time (monthly trend) and space (site-specific abundance). A relevant presence of I. ventalloi in site 2 and H. lusitanicum in site 5 was observed, suggesting the possible exposure of animals and humans to tick-borne pathogens. Our study shows the importance of surveillance of ticks in peri-urban areas and the useful implementation of GIS analysis in vector ecology; studies on temporal and spatial distribution of ticks correlated to GIS-based ecological analysis represent an integrated strategy for decision support in public health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Together in the Fight against Arthropod-Borne Diseases: A One Health Perspective)
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10 pages, 542 KiB  
Article
Comparative Analysis of Major Mosquito Vectors Response to Seed-Derived Essential Oil and Seed Pod-Derived Extract from Acacia nilotica
by Perumal Vivekanandhan, Raji Venkatesan, Govindaraju Ramkumar, Sengodan Karthi, Sengottayan Senthil-Nathan and Muthugoundar Subramanian Shivakumar
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15(2), 388; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15020388 - 23 Feb 2018
Cited by 67 | Viewed by 6551
Abstract
Botanical metabolites are increasingly realized as potential replacements to chemical insecticides. In the present study, Acacia nilotica seed essential oil and seed pod solvent extracts were tested for bioefficacy against three important types of mosquitoes. Mortality was recorded 24 h post-treatment, while smoke [...] Read more.
Botanical metabolites are increasingly realized as potential replacements to chemical insecticides. In the present study, Acacia nilotica seed essential oil and seed pod solvent extracts were tested for bioefficacy against three important types of mosquitoes. Mortality was recorded 24 h post-treatment, while smoke toxicity of adult mosquitoes was recorded at 10 min intervals for 40 min. Seed pod powder was extracted with different solvents and hydrodistilled seed oil chemical constituents were determined by using Gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) -. Larvicidal and adulticidal efficacy of seed hydrodistilled essential oil and solvent extracts were tested against larval and adult mosquitoes. The seed hydrodistilled oil provided strong larvicidal activity against Anopheles stephensi, (LC50 (lethal concentration that kills 50% of the exposed larvae) = 5.239, LC90 (lethal concentration that kills 90% of the exposed larvae) = 9.713 mg/L); Aedes aegypti, (LC50 = 3.174, LC90 = 11.739 mg/L); and Culex quinquefasciatus, (LC50 = 4.112, LC90 = 12.325 mg/L). Smoke toxicities were 82% in Cx. quinquefasciatus, 90% in Ae. aegypti, and 80% mortality in An. stephensi adults, whereas 100% mortality was recorded for commercial mosquito coil. The GC-MS profile of seed essential oil from A. nilotica showed the presence of hexadecane (18.440%) and heptacosane (15.914%), which are the main and active compounds, and which may be involved in insecticidal activity. Overall findings suggest that the seed oil showed strong mosquitocidal activity against mosquito vectors and therefore may provide an ecofriendly replacement to chemical insecticides. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Together in the Fight against Arthropod-Borne Diseases: A One Health Perspective)
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522 KiB  
Article
Trypanosoma brucei Inhibition by Essential Oils from Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Traditionally Used in Cameroon (Azadirachta indica, Aframomum melegueta, Aframomum daniellii, Clausena anisata, Dichrostachys cinerea and Echinops giganteus)
by Stephane L. Ngahang Kamte, Farahnaz Ranjbarian, Gustavo Daniel Campagnaro, Prosper C. Biapa Nya, Hélène Mbuntcha, Verlaine Woguem, Hilaire Macaire Womeni, Léon Azefack Ta, Cristiano Giordani, Luciano Barboni, Giovanni Benelli, Loredana Cappellacci, Anders Hofer, Riccardo Petrelli and Filippo Maggi
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(7), 737; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14070737 - 6 Jul 2017
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 6240
Abstract
Essential oils are complex mixtures of volatile components produced by the plant secondary metabolism and consist mainly of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes and, to a minor extent, of aromatic and aliphatic compounds. They are exploited in several fields such as perfumery, food, pharmaceutics, and [...] Read more.
Essential oils are complex mixtures of volatile components produced by the plant secondary metabolism and consist mainly of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes and, to a minor extent, of aromatic and aliphatic compounds. They are exploited in several fields such as perfumery, food, pharmaceutics, and cosmetics. Essential oils have long-standing uses in the treatment of infectious diseases and parasitosis in humans and animals. In this regard, their therapeutic potential against human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) has not been fully explored. In the present work, we have selected six medicinal and aromatic plants (Azadirachta indica, Aframomum melegueta, Aframomum daniellii, Clausena anisata, Dichrostachys cinerea, and Echinops giganteus) traditionally used in Cameroon to treat several disorders, including infections and parasitic diseases, and evaluated the activity of their essential oils against Trypanosma brucei TC221. Their selectivity was also determined with Balb/3T3 (mouse embryonic fibroblast cell line) cells as a reference. The results showed that the essential oils from A. indica, A. daniellii, and E. giganteus were the most active ones, with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 15.21, 7.65, and 10.50 µg/mL, respectively. These essential oils were characterized by different chemical compounds such as sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, monoterpene hydrocarbons, and oxygenated sesquiterpenes. Some of their main components were assayed as well on T. brucei TC221, and their effects were linked to those of essential oils. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Together in the Fight against Arthropod-Borne Diseases: A One Health Perspective)
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Review

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13 pages, 708 KiB  
Review
Strengthening Preparedness for Arbovirus Infections in Mediterranean and Black Sea Countries: A Conceptual Framework to Assess Integrated Surveillance in the Context of the One Health Strategy
by Maria Grazia Dente, Flavia Riccardo, Gloria Nacca, Alessia Ranghiasci, Camille Escadafal, Lobna Gaayeb, Miguel Angel Jiménez-Clavero, Jean-Claude Manuguerra, Marie Picard, Jovita Fernández-Pinero, Elisa Pérez-Ramírez, Vincent Robert, Kathleen Victoir and Silvia Declich
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15(3), 489; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15030489 - 10 Mar 2018
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 6235
Abstract
In the context of One Health, there is presently an effort to integrate surveillance of human, animal, entomological, and environmental sectors. This aims to strengthen the prevention of, and preparedness against, arbovirus infections, also in the light of environmental and climate changes that [...] Read more.
In the context of One Health, there is presently an effort to integrate surveillance of human, animal, entomological, and environmental sectors. This aims to strengthen the prevention of, and preparedness against, arbovirus infections, also in the light of environmental and climate changes that could increase the risk of transmission. However, criteria to define integrated surveillance, and to compare different systems, still need to be identified and tested. We conducted a scoping review to identify and examine surveillance systems for West Nile virus (WNV), chikungunya virus (CHKV), dengue virus (DENV), and Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), which involve human, animal, entomological, and environmental sectors. We analyzed findings using a conceptual framework we developed for this purpose. The review highlights that the criteria proposed in the conceptual framework to describe integrated surveillance are consistently reported in the context of studies and programs related to integrated surveillance of the selected arboviral diseases. These criteria can facilitate the identification and description of operationalized One Health surveillance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Together in the Fight against Arthropod-Borne Diseases: A One Health Perspective)
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Other

5 pages, 279 KiB  
Benchmark
Mosquitoes, Infectious Diseases, and Cancer: A Connection to Study?
by Carlos Brisola Marcondes and Giovanni Benelli
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(23), 4859; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16234859 - 3 Dec 2019
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3908
Abstract
Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are vectors of pathogens and parasites of great medical and veterinary relevance. The possible association between mosquitoes, infectious diseases, and cancer has been investigated. Despite its potential importance, there is a severe lack of research data on the topic. Herein, [...] Read more.
Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are vectors of pathogens and parasites of great medical and veterinary relevance. The possible association between mosquitoes, infectious diseases, and cancer has been investigated. Despite its potential importance, there is a severe lack of research data on the topic. Herein, current knowledge, tenuous links, and related challenges on the topic were examined, grouping information under four major hypotheses. The first hypothesis is that the infection of mosquito-vectored parasites, with special reference to Plasmodium spp., may lead to cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer stated that being infected by Plasmodium falciparum malaria in holoendemic areas is probably carcinogenic to humans (group 2A), considering that P. falciparum infection is able to reactivate the Epstein–Barr virus, leading to endemic Burkitt lymphoma. Also, malaria was recently associated with a cancer incidence increase in the United States. The second hypothesis is that cancer may be spread directly through mosquito bites: Aedes mosquitoes transfer viable tumor cells among vertebrate hosts, even if no plausible mechanisms for these cells to develop cancer into the new host are known. As the third hypothesis, mosquito bites may lead to hypersensitivity, resulting in cancer. Hypersensitivity stimulated by mosquito bites links allergy, oncogenesis, and the Epstein–Barr virus, causing Burkitt lymphoma. One may argue that pathogens transmitted by mosquitoes, such as viruses, may be carcinogenic. However, no detailed research evidences are available to substantiate this last hypothesis. However, despite the intriguing hypotheses outlined above, there is a severe lack of data showing cancer development in organisms exposed to mosquitoes transmitting parasites or pathogens. According to One Health criteria, this benchmark is aimed to outline major questions on this public health issue, stressing the need of multidisciplinary research and discussion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Together in the Fight against Arthropod-Borne Diseases: A One Health Perspective)
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