India is nearing formal validation for elimination of kala-azar as a public health problem, contingent upon sustaining the elimination threshold for three consecutive years. As incidence declines, the post-elimination phase demands sustained vigilance beyond case counts alone. Residual transmission and preventable mortality may remain undetected, particularly in settings affected by poverty, poor housing and population mobility. Housing support under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana offers a valuable opportunity to reduce structural risk factors by limiting indoor sandfly breeding and human-vector contact in endemic blocks. Continued incentives for frontline health workers and the integration of verbal autopsy into routine surveillance can strengthen mortality monitoring, identify programme gaps, and ensure that elimination gains are sustained and equitable.

Insecticidal Residual Spray (IRS) is a long-standing preventive measure in Mosquito vector control. The widespread use of insecticides for malaria vector control has led to increasing resistance in malaria vectors, creating a major global challenge. This article addresses the current situation and geographical patterns of pesticide resistance, as well as the consequences for global malaria control and eradication efforts. Information from surveillance and monitoring programmes is synthesised to provide a summary of resistance patterns to commonly used pesticides, including pyrethroids, organochlorines, carbamates and organophosphates. The assessment highlights the impact of resistance on malaria transmission and on the effectiveness of vector control, and emphasises the urgent need for integrated resistance management, strengthened surveillance and novel vector control methods to sustain and advance global malaria control efforts.

Over time, the use of chemically synthesized insecticides increased rapidly, leading to environmental harm, human health hazards, and the emergence of insecticidal resistance in insects. Sustainable development is critically needed, and innovative technology is essential for efficient mosquito control. A thorough analysis of 118 research and review papers from databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar and PubMed was conducted to compare the efficacy (LC values) of plant-derived extract and nanoparticle-based formulations. Nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized from plants using green nanotechnology represent a viable strategy for reducing mosquito vector populations. Plant-mediated nanoparticles derived from leaves, stems, flowers, latex, seeds, etc. exhibit high larvicidal and adulticidal characteristics against mosquito vector species, such as Aedes , the transmitter of dengue, Anopheles , the transmitter of malaria, and Culex , transmitting filariasis and others. Plant-derived nanoparticles like silver, copper, titanium, zinc, gold, etc. have shown promising results in combating potentially damaging insects. These nanoparticles maximize potency while minimizing non-target toxicity by utilizing bioactive phytochemicals present in plants. In terms of mechanism, nanoparticles and extract doses were tested for 24-74 hours for their activity, which resulted in the disruption of essential physiological processes in mosquito larvae, including cellular integrity, oxidative stress-mediated enzyme function, and physical harm to the exoskeleton and internal tissues. Furthermore, plant-derived nanoparticles offer affordability, stability, scalability, and biocompatibility, and the use of green nanoparticles could be an essential part of sustainable strategies to manage vectors. Despite promising laboratory results, extensive environmental impact studies and field testing are still necessary to translate these technologies into practical applications.

Notifiable flaviviral pathogens, particularly dengue, continue to pose significant health and economic challenges worldwide, especially in tropical regions where these infections remain endemic. In the Philippines, the risk remains high following the 2019 withdrawal of the Dengvaxia vaccine, with no alternative immunization currently available locally. Recent interest in nucleic acid-based immunogens highlights the need for scalable, non-infectious vaccine production platforms; however, generating high-dose DNA constructs capable of inducing effective immune responses without live-virus propagation remains challenging. Our work from 2018 to 2024 addressed this need through the development of computationally designed, cell-free, PCR-amplifiable DNA constructs using algorithmic overlap extension PCR (OE-PCR) and an improved technique, asymmetric extension supported by a simulator for oligonucleotide extension (AESOE). Subsequent integration of machine learning, including recurrent neural network-based amplification prediction and LAMP primer design, further improved synthesis efficiency and expanded applications for surveillance and diagnostics. The AESOE-guided OE-PCR platform enabled the assembly of synthetic flaviviral DNA fragments of at least 1 kilobase in length from overlapping oligonucleotides, supporting scalable production of synthetic immunogens without the need for infectious viral materials. These live-virus-free strategies may enhance biosafety, reduce development timelines, and improve accessibility for laboratories in resource-limited settings, potentially supporting next-generation vaccine development for dengue and other flaviviral diseases.

Mosquito-borne diseases continue to pose major global public health challenges, necessitating the development of sustainable, environmentally safe, and effective vector control strategies. Conventional reliance on chemical insecticides has led to increasing concerns regarding insecticide resistance, environmental contamination, and adverse effects on non-target organisms. In this context, biological control methods, which exploit the natural predators, parasites, and pathogens of mosquitoes, have emerged as promising alternatives and complementary tools within Integrated Vector Management (IVM) frameworks. This review synthesizes recent advances in biological control approaches for mosquito management, with a focus on protozoan, fungal, helminthic, arthropod, and chordate-based agents. Protozoan pathogens such as Vavraia culicis have demonstrated potential in reducing mosquito longevity, pupation success, and vectorial capacity, leading to significant suppression of Anopheles, Culex, and Stegomyia populations. Entomopathogenic fungi, including Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae , exhibit broad-spectrum efficacy, with strain- specific virulence and adaptability to diverse ecological and tropical environments. Helminthic interventions, particularly mermithid nematodes like Romanomermis iyengari , effectively parasitize mosquito larvae in a variety of aquatic habitats. Arthropod predators such as copepods, dragonfly nymphs, and Toxorhynchites mosquitoes have been successfully employed against container-breeding and floodwater mosquitoes, while chordate-based interventions using larvivorous fish, notably Gambusia affinis and Poecilia reticulata , continue to play a significant role in public health programmes. Although biological control agents offer species specificity and environmental compatibility, challenges related to scalability, habitat suitability, and potential non-target effects remain. Integrating these biological methods with existing vector control strategies provides a sustainable and ecologically sound approach to reducing mosquito-borne disease transmission.