AUTHOR=Jonckers Nieboer L. F. W. , Fischer E. A. J. , Braks M. A. H. 

TITLE=Available evidence for mosquito-borne Francisella tularensis transmission is inconclusive

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Tropical Diseases

VOLUME=Volume 4 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/tropical-diseases/articles/10.3389/fitd.2023.1230903

DOI=10.3389/fitd.2023.1230903

ISSN=2673-7515

ABSTRACT=Very little is known about the potential of mosquitoes to transmit pathogenic bacteria. Nevertheless, especially among Swedish and Finnish experts the consensus is that mosquitoes are responsible for transmission of Francisella (F.) tularensis (the causal agent of tularemia) to humans. Hitherto, several epidemiological, experimental, and ecological studies have been performed and some of these studies indeed found indications for a vector-role of mosquitoes in the transmission of this bacterium. However, the evidence is limited and not all criteria of vector incrimination are shown to be met yet. Here we show why the available evidence is inconclusive, what is missing, and that the certainty with which some authors write about this vector role of mosquitoes is not entirely justified.