Novel RNAi delivery systems in the control of medical and veterinary pests

RNA interference (RNAi) is a transformative technology with great potential to control, study or even protect insects and acarines through the knockdown of target gene expression. RNAi offers unprecedented levels of control, but fundamental to its successful deployment is the need to deliver ‘trigger’ RNA in an appropriate fashion giving due consideration to potential barriers of RNAi efficiency, safety, and the intended purpose of the knockdown. This short review focusses on recent innovations in RNAi delivery that are designed for, or could be adapted for use with, insect and acarine pests of medical or veterinary importance.