Abstract:
Light is a fundamental cue regulating a host of biological responses. The artificial
modification thereof demonstrably impacts a wide range of organisms. The use of
artificial light is changing in type, extent and intensity. Insect vector-borne diseases
remain a global scourge, but surprisingly few studies have directly investigated the
interactions between artificial light and disease vectors, such as mosquitoes. Here
we briefly overview the progress to date, which highlights that artificial light must be
considered as a modulator of mosquito-borne disease risk. We discuss where the
mechanisms may lie, and where future research could usefully be directed, particularly
in advancing understanding of the biological effects of the light environment. Further
understanding of how artificial light may modulate mosquito-borne disease risk may
assist in employing and redesigning light regimes that do not increase, and may even
mitigate, already significant disease burdens, especially in the developing world.
