Biodiversity is a cornerstone of human health and well-being. However, while evidence of
the contributions of nature to human health is rapidly building, research into how biodiversity …

The resident microbiota of insect vectors can impede transmission of human pathogens.
Recent studies have highlighted the capacity of endogenous bacteria to decrease viral and …

Malaria parasite transmission depends on the successful transition of Plasmodium through
discrete developmental stages in the lumen of the mosquito midgut. Like the human …

Malaria-transmitting mosquitoes are continuously exposed to microbes, including their
midgut microbiota. This naturally acquired microbial flora can modulate the mosquito's …

The innate immune system of insects is divided into humoral defenses that include the
production of soluble effector molecules and cellular defenses like phagocytosis and …

Mosquitoes are vectors of parasitic and viral diseases of immense importance for public
health. The acquisition of the genome sequence of the yellow fever and Dengue vector …

Immune function is likely to be a critical determinant of an organism's fitness, yet most
natural animal and plant populations exhibit tremendous genetic variation for immune traits …

Insects exposed to pesticides undergo strong natural selection and have developed various
adaptive mechanisms to survive. Resistance to pyrethroid insecticides in the malaria vector …

Recent research has raised the prospect of using insect fungal pathogens for the control of
vector-borne diseases such as malaria. In the past, microbial control of insect pests in both …

Melanization plays important roles in diverse physiological processes in insects including
wound healing, tanning of the cuticle and immunity. Upon infection, pattern recognition …