Biological and Genetic Approaches in Mosquito Vector Control: Current Advances and Future Challenges

Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) continue to pose major public health challenges, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. Conventional vector control strategies, including insecticide spraying, insecticide-treated bed nets, and larvicidal interventions, have substantially reduced disease burden; however, the emergence of insecticide resistance has compromised the long-term effectiveness of these approaches. Consequently, environmentally sustainable biological and genetic vector control methods are increasingly being explored as alternative strategies.

This review comprehensively evaluates recent advances in biological and genetic approaches for mosquito vector control. The article synthesizes evidence from published laboratory, semi-field, and field studies on Wolbachia-mediated pathogen blocking, paratransgenesis using Asaia and Serratia, entomopathogenic fungi, and genetic control tools, including the sterile insect technique (SIT), incompatible insect technique (IIT), release of insects carrying a dominant lethal (RIDL), and CRISPR-Cas9-based gene drive systems.

Multiple biological and genetic interventions demonstrated substantial reductions in mosquito populations and pathogen transmission under experimental and field conditions. Wolbachia-based systems, SIT, IIT, and RIDL approaches showed promising operational feasibility and field validation, whereas gene drive technologies exhibited strong transformative potential but remain largely experimental. However, significant challenges persist, including scalability, infrastructure requirements, ecological uncertainty, biosafety concerns, regulatory complexity, and ethical considerations. Comparative evaluation indicates that these approaches differ considerably in technological maturity, deployment readiness, and sustainability.

Emerging biological and genetic vector control strategies represent promising alternatives to conventional insecticide-based approaches for sustainable VBD management. Rather than relying on a single universal intervention, context-specific integration of complementary approaches within existing integrated vector management frameworks, supported by community participation and effective governance, is likely to provide more durable and environmentally sustainable solutions for controlling vector-borne diseases.