Abstract

Mosquito-borne diseases, such as malaria, dengue, and chikungunya, persist globally due to the emergence of resistance to major classes of insecticides among mosquitoes. This resistance, alongside the need to reduce pesticide overuse, necessitates the development of alternative vector control strategies. RNA interference (RNAi) is a vector control method that acts by silencing specific genes vital for the development, reproduction, survival, and pathogen transmission of disease vectors. This review evaluates existing RNAi studies for vector control, focusing on its application, delivery methods, effectiveness, challenges, and future directions. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines were used to retrieve research articles from databases. The results indicate RNAi’s potential in silencing key genes in the mosquitoes’ lifecycle, immunity, fecundity, and survival. For instance, RNAi silenced genes crucial for malaria parasite development in Anopheles gambiae and reduced Aedes aegypti’s susceptibility to the dengue virus. Various delivery methods, including microinjection, soaking, oral, and transgenic approaches, were employed, each with pros and cons for large-scale use. RNAi is a potentially powerful alternative vector control tool. However, further advancement is required for the proper delivery of interfering RNA species, cost-effectiveness, and field application.

Key words: RNA interference, gene silencing, mosquito control, vector-borne diseases, biological control.