xxvi

Introduction and Overview

This editorial book is divided into ten parts or sections. All authors of the chapters

within a section are listed in alphabetic order at the beginning. The sections are as follows:

(I) Control of Mosquitos and Their World: An Overview

(II) Mathematical Modeling Immunity: An Overview

(III) Mathematical Epidemiology including Mosquito Dynamics and Control Theory

(IV) Topological Studies: Topology meets Mosquito Control

(V) Chemometric and Mathematical Approach for Modeling and Designing Mosquito

Repellents

(VI) Pharmacy Meets Mosquito Control: Using Pharmacological Tools Combating

Mosquito Transmitted VBDs

(VII) Using Natural Oils and Micro-encapsulation Combatting Mosquitos: An Overview

(VIII) Textiles and Paints as Mosquito Control Tools

(IX) Testing Methods for Treated Textiles with Mosquito-Repellents: An Overview

(X) Case Studies: Putting Knowledge into Action

In the first section, the authors try to give a brief overview of the life of mosquitos

and mosquito control. Mosquitos are semi-aquatic insects of which approximately more

than 3,200 species worldwide have been described. As known, mosquito vector con-

trol is one of the most effective and successful strategies and methods for controlling

mosquito-transmitted vector-borne diseases (WHO 2008), such as malaria, Zika, dengue

fever, chikungunya, and yellow fever. Mosquitos evolve in four life stages: egg, larva, pupa,

and adult. Besides causing diseases for humans, mosquitos can also transmit diseases to

animals since they feed from the blood of animals such as frogs, toads, birds, etc., and

transmit infectious diseases from animals to humans.

The second section reviews malaria and the naturally acquired immunity (NAI) related

to this disease. The consequences of NAI in a population are of immense interest, and the

interaction with a possible malaria vaccine is important for the efficacy of the vaccine. This

section also aims to develop mathematical models that can be used and translated for other

mosquito-transmitted diseases.

The third section is mathematically challenging for researchers unfamiliar with math-

ematical epidemiology but can highlight the importance of mathematics in mosquito-

transmitted diseases. The chapters give a brief overview of the inclusion of mosquito dy-

namics in the epidemiological models expanding the famous SIR (susceptible, infected,

and recovered population) model to SIRUV model (inclusion of infected and healthy

mosquitos). One chapter is dedicated especially to the implications of Optimal Control