The toolbox for mosquito vector research

The work of collecting mosquitoes in the field is essential for improving knowledge about species of known and unknown vector status, their invasion dynamics, and further understanding their involvement in circulating pathogens of medical and veterinary importance. Over the years, different techniques have been developed to capture mosquitoes for entomological, pathogen transmission, and surveillance studies. For entomological and transmission dynamic research to be reliable, it is essential for mosquito specimens to be correctly identified so that their role in pathogen transmission can be appropriately assessed. Currently, modern molecular techniques support traditional morphological taxonomic identification and provide faster and more assertive identification. It is also important to test the susceptibility of potentially relevant mosquitoes or mosquitoes with unknown vector status in the laboratory to identify which species could participate in pathogen transmission. This last step toward fully performing vector incrimination of mosquito species and understanding their interactions with relevant pathogens requires proper handling of live specimens and laboratory colonization under artificial conditions to perform artificial infection studies. In this work, we aim to underscore the significance of the available tools for entomological studies and pathogen transmission research while also offering insights into the principles behind recent technological advancements that enhance the effectiveness and reliability of these studies.