Deciphering emerging Zika and dengue viral epidemics: Implications for global maternal-child health burden

Since its discovery in 1947 in Uganda and control and eradication efforts have aimed at its vectors [Aedes mosquitoes] in Latin America in the 1950s, an absolute neglect of Zika programs and interventions has been documented in Aedes endemic and epidemic-prone countries. The current unprecedented Zika viral epidemics and rapid spread in the Western hemisphere pose a substantial global threat, with associated anxiety and consequences. The lack of safe and effective drugs and vaccines against Zika or dengue epidemics further buttresses the realization from the West Africa Ebola outbreak that most emerging disease-prone countries are still poorly prepared for an emergency response. This paper examines knowledge gaps in both emerging and neglected arthropod-borne flavivirus infectious diseases associated with poverty and their implications for fostering local, national and regional emerging disease preparedness, effective and robust surveillance-response systems, sustained control and eventual elimination. Strengthening the regional and Global Health Flavivirus Surveillance-Response Network [GHFV-SRN] with other models of socio-economic, climatic, environmental and ecological mitigation and adaptation strategies will be necessary to improve evidence-based national and global maternal-child health agenda and action plans

Potency and persistence of the bacterial mosquitocide bacillus sphaericus against culicine mosquitoes under field conditions

The biopesticide Bacillus sphaericus represents one of the important tools used in the control of mosquito larvae after chemical insecticides. The present study was conducted to investigate the efficacy B. sphaericus 2362 [VectoLex] in two different technical powders, ABG-6232 and ABG-6491 against larvae of two mosquitoes, Culex pipiens and Aedes caspius in El-Arish city, North Sinai, Egypt. The mosquito larvae were collected from polluted and fresh water [Cx. Pipiens] and saline water [Ae. Caspius]. The physicochemical characteristics of larval breeding water sites were measured as salinity, conductivity, pH values and temperature. Susceptibility bioassays showed that Cx. pipiens larvae from polluted water sites have high susceptibility to B. sphaericus 2362 formulation ABG-6232 [LC[50] 0.15-0.33 ppm, LC[90]: 0.73-9.68 ppm]. In case of ABG-6491 formulation, the values were LC[50]: 0.15-0.33 ppm and LC[90]: 1.73-9.83 ppm. Cx. pipiens larvae collected from fresh water habitat in El-Qusiema, outside El-Arish city, susceptibility to B. sphaericus 2362 ABG-6232 had LC[50] values ranging between 0.12 and 0.28 ppm, while LC[90] ranged between 1.59 and 4.13 ppm. In case of ABG-6491, the LC[50] values ranged between 0.13 and 0.28 ppm, while LC[90] values ranged between 1.46 and 8.93 ppm. For Ae. caspius larvae from saline water and treated with B. sphaericus 2362 ABG-6232, LC[50] values ranged between 0.31 and 1.36 ppm, while LC[90] ranged between 1.92 and 9.75 ppm. In case of ABG- 6491, the LC[5o] values ranged between 0.34 and 0.59 ppm, while LC[90] values ranged between 1.79 and 11.56 ppm

biological effects of the insect growth regulators; pyriproxyfen and diflubenzuron on the mosquito Aedes aegypti

The biological effects of two insect growth regulators [IGRs], pyriproxyfen and diflubenzuron against larvae of the mosquito Aedes aegypti [L.] have been evaluated. Mosquitoes were collected from Jeddah governorate, west of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and maintained in the laboratory. According to IC[50] values obtained [concentrations which inhibit the emergence of 50% of adults], diflubenzuron [0.00036 ppm] proved to be more effective by 11.4 fold of pyriproxyfen [0.0041ppm]. In addition to the delayed lethal action, larval treatment with the two IGRs, pyriproxyfen and diflubenzuron led to pronounced reduction in the reproductive potential of mosquito adults that emerged from these treatments. Pyriproxyfen caused a 33.2% decrease in egg production compared to 25.5% for diflubenzuron. The reduction in egg hatchability was by 40.6 and 36.2 % for pyriproxyfen and diflubenzuron, respectively, with up to 4 fold higher reduction rates than in the control tests. These results shed light on the extended biological effects of IGRs on mosquitoes and encourage further testing of IGRs for wider use in the control of Ae. aegypti and other important disease vectors in Arabia and the world

Potential of medicinal plants in mosquito control

Medicinal plants have long history as important components in traditional medicine, and food of humans since ancient Egyptians and Chinese. Naturally occurring botanical compounds contain a broad range of chemical active ingredients can intervene in all biological processes of the mosquito, thus interrupt its life cycle and dispersal and reduce harms to humans and animals. Many medicinal plants were tested for their pesticide and repellent potential, as crude material, essential oils or individual active ingredients. This article reviewed studies on the efficacy of many well known and commonly used safe medicinal plants or their products in controlling the mosquitoes; Aedes aegypti, Anopheles gambiae, An. stephensi and Culex quinquefasciatus and the ticks, Dermacentor variabilis, Amblyomma americanum, Ixodes scapularis and I. ricinus. Promising and encouraging results were obtained against these arthropod-vectors of zoonotic diseases