Ecology of parasite-vector interactions: expect the unexpected

Abstract

As revealed by the previous chapters, a wealth of information has become available on the biology and ecology of parasite-vector interactions. This has led to a greater understanding of the more fundamental aspects on how parasites manipulate their arthropod hosts, as well as on how the arthropod’s immune system responds to this. Most interestingly, it has also led to novel applications for sustainable control of vector-borne diseases, such as exemplified by the ongoing field trials with Wolbachia as a disease-controlling endosymbiont in Aedes aegypti L. as well as by the release of transgenic male Ae. aegypti for the control of dengue in Grand Cayman island, Brazil and Malaysia. In this chapter we synthesize the reviewed knowledge and conclude that in many instances environmental and evolutionary forces can pull trade-offs between parasites and vectors in unexpected directions.