Microbial-Based Innovations for the Prevention of Mosquito-Borne Diseases: Mechanisms, Applications, Challenges and Future Perspectives

Abstract

Mosquito-borne diseases remain a major global public-health challenge, contributing substantially to morbidity,
mortality, healthcare expenditure, and socioeconomic disruption. Dengue, malaria, chikungunya, Zika, yellow fever,
West Nile fever, and lymphatic filariasis are transmitted by mosquito vectors whose geographical distribution and
population dynamics are influenced by environmental change, urbanization, climate variability, human mobility, and
vector adaptation. Conventional mosquito-control approaches, particularly chemical insecticides, remain important
but are increasingly challenged by insecticide resistance, operational limitations, environmental concerns, and
difficulties in achieving sustained population-level control. Microbial-based technologies have consequently emerged
as an important component of innovative and integrated vector management. These technologies include bacterial
larvicides such as Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti) and Lysinibacillus sphaericus, entomopathogenic
fungi including Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium spp., mosquito-associated microbial manipulation, and
Wolbachia-based population replacement or suppression. Microbial agents can act through several mechanisms,
including larval gut toxicity, fungal infection through the insect cuticle, reproductive manipulation, pathogen
interference, and modification of mosquito-associated microbial communities. Evidence from randomized and quasi-
experimental studies has demonstrated substantial reductions in dengue incidence following deployment of
Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti in several settings, although effectiveness varies according to ecological,
operational, and epidemiological conditions. Recent research is also expanding toward mosquito microbiome
engineering, insect-specific viruses, improved microbial formulations, synergistic combinations, and precision
delivery systems. This review examines the scientific basis, current evidence, applications, advantages, limitations,
implementation considerations, and future prospects of microbial approaches for mosquito-borne disease prevention.