Mosquitocidal vaccines: a neglected addition to malaria and dengue control strategies

The transmission of vector-borne diseases is dependent upon the ability of the vector to survive for longer than the period of development of the pathogen within the vector. One means of reducing mosquito lifespan, and thereby reducing their capacity to transmit diseases, is to target mosquitoes with vaccines. Here, the principle behind mosquitocidal vaccines is described, their potential impact in malaria and dengue control is modeled and the current research that could make these vaccines a reality is reviewed. Mosquito genome data, combined with modern molecular techniques, can be exploited to overcome the limited advances in this field. Given the large potential benefit to vector-borne disease control, research into the development of mosquitocidal vaccines deserves a high profile.