Microbial control of insects of medical and veterinary importance is the use of insect-specific pathogens and nematode parasites for the control of insects that are vectors and pests of humans or domestic animals. Medically important insects include those that suck blood such as mosquitoes (Culicidae), black flies (Simuliidae), and other dipterans, lice (Phthiraptera), fleas (Siphonaptera) and those that do not suck blood but are nevertheless a nuisance (house flies, cockroaches, etc.). Infectious agents of some of the most devastating diseases of humans are transmitted by insects. These include organisms that cause malaria, yellow fever, dengue, several encephalitides (such as West Nile virus), plague, onchocerciasis, typhus, sleeping sickness, and Chagas disease. Domestic and wild animals also suffer from insect transmitted diseases, some of which result in death and/or severe economic losses. Pestiferous insects are also causes for decreased quality of life, weight loss in animals...
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Lacey, L.A., Becnel, J.J. (2008). Microbial Control of Medically Important Insects. In: Capinera, J.L. (eds) Encyclopedia of Entomology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6359-6_4590
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