Overview of Arthropods and its research trends in Medical Entomology

Article Type:  Editorial

Published on:  Year: 2026; Volume: 6; Issue: 3; Page No: 1–2

Author:  Jayanthi Sureshbabu 

https://doi.org/10.55349/ijmsnr.20266112

Affiliation:  Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Medical Sciences and Nursing Research, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India and Formerly Lecturer in Medical Entomology, Department of Community Medicine, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, Kalapet, Pondicherry, India.

Email ID:  editorinchief.ijmsnr@gmail.com   and   Editor-in-chief@ijmsnr.com

How to cite this article:  Jayanthi Sureshbabu.  Overview of research trends in Medical Entomology.  Int J Med Sci and Nurs Res 2026;6(2):1–2.   DOI:  https://doi.org/10.55349/ijmsnr.20266112

Submitted: 08-April-2026   Revised: 15-May-2026   Accepted: 30-May-2026   Published: 30-June-2026

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Introduction

Medical Entomology (ME) [1] is an important subject in the medical field.  ME is the study of arthropods of medical importance. In the last decade, the vector-borne diseases [2] have remarkably spread and the possibility of VBD in the world level.  ME is concentrating on the study related to arthropods involved in the human health. [3] These types of researches/studies were done in France, USA and other countries. ME deals with bites, stings, allergic reactions. In this article, I have discussed with Arthropods, its importance in the medical field, types of mosquitos and habits.

Arthropods

Arthropods are invertebrates with joined legs. They make up about 3/4th of all animals on earth and have a major role in maintaining ecosystems.  Arthropods of medical importance as given in Table–1.

Table – 1  Arthropods of Medical Importance

Class:  Insecta Class: Arachnida Class:  Crustacea
1.     Mosquitoes: 

Anophelines

Culicines

 1. Ticks:

Hard Ticks

Soft Ticks

 1. Cyclops
2.  Flies: 

Houseflies

Sandflies

Tsetse Flies

Blackflies

 2. Mites (Chiggers)

Leptotrombidium and Trombiculid Mites;

Itch Mite

  
3. Human Lies:

Head and Body

Lice, Crab Lice

    
4. Fleas:

Rat Fleas

Sand Fleas

    
5. Reduviid Bugs    

Figure – 1  Primary genera of mosquitoes responsible for transmitting major human pathogens

Anopheles vector is transmitting malaria and lymphatic filariasis; Aedies vector for viral infections like dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and yellow fever; Culex vector for Japanese encephalitis, West Nile Virus, and lymphatic filariasis.

Habits of Mosquitoes

(1).  Feeding Habits: The males never bit; they subsist on plant juices. The females on the contrary are haematophagous.  They require a blood meal, once in 2–3 days for the development of eggs.  The females differ in their feeding habits.  Some species (anthrophilic) prefer human blood, some (zoophilic) prefer animal blood, and some indifferent in their choice and feed on both man and animals.

(2).  Time of Biting:  In general, mosquitoes bite in the evening or in the early part of night.

(3). Resting Habits: Mosquitoes obscure themselves during the day in dark and cool corners.  Some rest indoors (endphilia), and some outdoors (exophilia).  The indoor resting places are usually the dark corners of houses, upper part of walls behind pictures and under furniture.  The outdoor resting places are usually the vegetation, shrubs, tree holes, cattle sheds and wells.

(4). Breeding Habits: In general, the anophelines prefer clean water for breeding, the culicines prefer dirty and polluted water, the aedes prefer artificial collections of water.  The mansonia breed in water containing certain types of aquatic vegetation.

(5). Hibernation: Mosquitoes are known to hibernate in the adult stage when the environmental conditions are not favourable.

(6).  Dispersal:  Mosquitoes do not generally fly far from the place where they breed unless swept by currents of wind.  The range of flight varies with the species, and may range up to 11 kms.

(7).  Life Span:  The life of a mosquito is influenced by temperature and humidity, Both high and low temperatures are fatal.  The normal life span of mosquitoes varies from 8 to 34 days.  The males, as a rule, are short lived.

Researches in Medical Entomology [5]

In many outbreaks and the changing epidemiology of diseases such as Lymes disease, Zika and chikungunya have highlighted attention on the increasing expansion of vector-borne infectious diseases, not only in tropical countries, world level. Trained medical entomologists are needed now more than ever, and moreover, in the changing world, it is also important for entomologists to incorporate an integrated vector control programme and in the modern One Health program.  Researches in ME is to be carried in low number in the medical institutions in India.  [4]  Multidisciplinary, collaborative approaches, increased funding, and continuing research on vector behavior, life history, genetics, and ecology. in order to improve our understanding of transmission cycles of established and emerging vector-borne diseases.

References

  1. Abbasi E. The Role of Medical Entomology in Medical Education: Challenges and Opportunities, 14 April 2025, PREPRINT (Version 1) available at Research Square. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6192733/v1
  2. World Health Organization: Vector Borne Diseases. Available from:  https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/vector-borne-diseases [Available On: 8th January 2026]
  3. Laroche M, Bérenger JM, Delaunay P, Charrel R, Pradines B, Berger F, et al., Medical Entomology: A Reemerging Field of Research to Better Understand Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases. Clin Infect Dis. 2017 Aug 15;65(suppl_1):S30-S38. DOI:1093/cid/cix463. PMID: 28859353.
  4. Garg R., Goyal S. & Singh K. Lack of research amongst undergraduate medical students in India: It’s time to act and act now.  Indian Pediatr2017;54:357–360.  DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13312-017-1104-4
  5. Ghosh K, Ghosh K. Medical Research by the Medical Colleges in India.  Annals of the National Academy of Medical Sciences (India) 2020; 53(4):194–201.  DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1712807

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