Arbovirus vectors insects: are botanical insecticides an alternative for its management?

Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are insect vectors of epidemiologically important arboviruses owing to their behavior, physiology, morphology, and proximity to humans, which require incisive strategies to contain their spread. The failure of current arbovirus management plans and lack of fully effective treatments suggest that vector control by botanical insecticides could be an effective and safe strategy. Botanical insecticides are obtained from renewable sources and have complex chemical compositions, different modes of action, and selective toxicity for target organisms. In this review, we present the main control strategies for insects belonging to the genera Aedes, Culex, and Anopheles and discuss the possibility of using botanical insecticides in the integrated management of vectors. Numerous botanical insecticide formulations are presented, and their potential modes of action during the immature stages include damage to the egg exocorionic network and abnormal disruption of embryos, which result from deficiencies in egg chitinization, impairment of larval morphology, and inhibition or differential expression of enzymes, promoting changes in the digestive tract epithelium and reduced larval mobility, and impairment of external surfaces or the respiratory system of pupae, altering pupal swimming patterns. In adult insects, botanical insecticides can promote incomplete ecdysis, in addition to dysfunction of olfactory receptors, food traffic, and reproductive function. Thus, broad-spectrum botanical insecticides can be used to control the different stages of insect development. The contributions of nanotechnology to vector control should be further explored to enhance the insecticidal activity and stability of botanical insecticides under different conditions.

Automated summary

This review discusses control strategies for mosquitoes as vectors of arboviruses and the potential use of botanical insecticides in integrated management. Botanical insecticides have complex chemical compositions and different modes of action, allowing for control of various stages of insect development. Nanotechnology may enhance the insecticidal activity and stability of botanical insecticides.