Cancer and mosquitoes – An unsuspected close connection

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2020-11, Vol.743, p.140631-140631, Article 140631
• Main Authors: Arnal, Audrey, Roche, Benjamin, Gouagna, Louis-Clément, Dujon, Antoine, Ujvari, Beata, Corbel, Vincent, Remoue, Franck, Poinsignon, Anne, Pompon, Julien, Giraudeau, Mathieu, Simard, Frédéric, Missé, Dorothée, Lefèvre, Thierry, Thomas, Frédéric
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Cancer cells transmission; Humans; Inflammatory reactions; Integrative strategies; Life Sciences; Mosquito life history traits; Mosquito Vectors; Neoplasms; Oncogenic pathogens; Public health
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140631

Cancer is a major public health issue and represents a significant burden in countries with different levels of economic wealth. In parallel, mosquito-borne infectious diseases represent a growing problem causing significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Acknowledging that these two concerns are both globally distributed, it is essential to investigate whether they have a reciprocal connection that can fuel their respective burdens. Unfortunately, very few studies have examined the link between these two threats. This review provides an overview of the possible links between mosquitoes, mosquito-borne infectious diseases and cancer. We first focus on the impact of mosquitoes on carcinogenesis in humans including the transmission of oncogenic pathogens through mosquitoes, the immune reactions following mosquito bites, the presence of non-oncogenic mosquito-borne pathogens, and the direct transmission of cancer cells. The second part of this review deals with the direct or indirect consequences of cancer in humans on mosquito behaviour. Thirdly, we discuss the potential impacts that natural cancers in mosquitoes can have on their life history traits and therefore on their vector capacity. Finally, we discuss the most promising research avenues on this topic and the integrative public health strategies that could be envisioned in this context. [Display omitted] •Cancer is a major public health issue and a significant burden in countries with different levels of economic wealth.•Mosquito-borne infectious diseases represent a growing problem causing significant morbidity and mortality worldwide.•It is essential to investigate the reciprocal connection between these two concerns that can fuel their respective burdens.•Unfortunately, very few studies have examined the link between these two threats.•It is mandatory to investigate these connections to envision new innovative and integrative strategies against both threats.