Insects and Public Health: An Overview

Abstract

Insects are, by far, the most common animals on our planet. The ubiquity and plethora of ecological niches occupied by insects, along with the strict and sometimes forced coexistence between insects and humans, make insects a target of public health interest. This article reports the negative aspects historically linked to insects as pests and vectors of diseases, and describes their potential as bioindicators of environmental pollution, and their use as food and feed. Both negative and positive impacts of insects on human and animal health need to be addressed by public health professionals who should aim to strike a balance within the wide range of sometimes conflicting goals in insect management, such as regulating their production, exploiting their potential, protecting their health and limiting their negative impact on animals and humans. This requires increased insect knowledge and strategies to preserve human health and welfare. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of traditional and emerging topics bridging insects and public health to highlight the need for professionals, to address these topics during their work. The present and future role and activities of public health authorities regarding insects are analyzed.

Opportunities and challenges in upcycling agri-food byproducts to generate insect manure (frass): A literature review

“…Occupational exposure in farm workers has long been a topic of interest, often drawing links between the presence of insects (as pests in stored grains) and sensitization or allergic reaction of workers (Jeebhay, Baatjies and Lopata 2005). The multiple interactions between insects and occupational health has recently been reviewed (Belluco, Bertola et al 2023). Frass may be found in grain dust where insect pests are present.…”

The Composition of Zoophilic Fly Species in Eastern Ukraine

“…Additionally, the hygiene of livestock product production plays a crucial role, with the parasitic component posing a significant challenge (Aliiev et al, 2022;Pavlenko et al, 2023). Insects, due to their widespread distribution and ability to occupy various ecological niches, as well as the strict and sometimes forced coexistence of insects and humans, are of significant concern for public health (Belluco et al, 2023). House flies (M. domestica) are ubiquitous insects that live in close contact with humans and farm animals (Nayduch et al, 2023).…”

“…Ensuring stable epizootic wellbeing is also an integral part of the livestock industry. Despite the successes achieved in the fight against animal diseases of various etiologies, the issue of controlling ectoparasites, studying their biodiversity, and developing new means of eradication remain relevant today (Belluco et al, 2023). Stable flies, Stomoxys calcitrans (Linnaeus, 1758), are significant threats to humans and animals worldwide (Rochon et al, 2021).…”

A systematic review of experimental studies on Salmonella persistence in insects

“…In every case, to be defined as food, insects need to be safe with respect to foodborne hazards. Despite traditional consumption of insects not having highlighted safety concerns, as far as we know, beyond allergic reactions 1 , 6 , 7 , the scaling up of insect farms and processing plants calls for data on the behavior of foodborne pathogens in these conditions. Among the risks associated with the consumption of insects is the possible presence of foodborne pathogens, with the level of risk mainly dependent on the farming substrate 1 .…”