Mosquitoes and Mosquito-Borne Diseases in Vietnam

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Vietnam is one of the tropical countries of Asia where individuals are at high risk of attaining mosquito-borne diseases. Due to rapid urbanization in Vietnam, most of the major cities have immense population growth, along with inadequate control measures over mosquitoes. These factors contributed to a sudden increase in the population of disease vectors that lead to cyclical epidemics of mosquito-borne diseases. This review paper aims to (i) provide a complete checklist of Vietnamese mosquitoes, (ii) provide an overview of mosquito-borne diseases in Vietnam, and (iii) preventive measures for mosquitoes in Vietnam. We list 281 mosquito species, belonging to 42 subgenera of 22 genera. We found that three genera, namely, Anopheles, Aedes, and Culex are found to be potential vectors for mosquito-borne diseases in Vietnam. We found dengue and malaria are the most common mosquito-borne diseases in Vietnam with about 320,702 cases and 54 deaths in the 2019 outbreak and 4548 clinical cases and six deaths, respectively. We suggest that mosquito-borne diseases could be effectively controlled and prevented through mechanical, chemical, biological, and genetic methods. ABSTRACT: Mosquito-borne diseases pose a significant threat to humans in almost every part of the world. Key factors such as global warming, climatic conditions, rapid urbanisation, frequent human relocation, and widespread deforestation significantly increase the number of mosquitoes and mosquito-borne diseases in Vietnam, and elsewhere around the world. In southeast Asia, and notably in Vietnam, national mosquito control programmes contribute to reducing the risk of mosquito-borne disease transmission, however, malaria and dengue remain a threat to public health. The aim of our review is to provide a complete checklist of all Vietnamese mosquitoes that have been recognised, as well as an overview of mosquito-borne diseases in Vietnam. A total of 281 mosquito species of 42 subgenera and 22 genera exist in Vietnam. Of those, Anopheles, Aedes, and Culex are found to be potential vectors for mosquito-borne diseases. Major mosquito-borne diseases in high-incidence areas of Vietnam include malaria, dengue, and Japanese encephalitis. This review may be useful to entomological researchers for future surveys of Vietnamese mosquitoes and to decision-makers responsible for vector control tactics.