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Here in Washington, DC, it’s been an especially buggy summer, with more ticks, mosquitos, and even invasive lanternflies everywhere. In fact, we’re seeing a global rise in mosquito-borne diseases, as rising temperatures, shifting precipitation patterns, and increasing travel and migration bring these critters—and the viruses and parasites they carry—to new places and populations. For example, just last week, a potential case of locally acquired malaria was identified in Washington state, and West Nile virus, a disease transmitted by mosquitoes that was first isolated in Uganda, is now considered endemic in New York state in 2025. Last month, the World Health Organization issued an urgent call for action as chikungunya continues to spread globally again this year, prompting fear of a repeat of the 2004-2005 epidemic. Yellow fever is on the rise too—cases in the Americas during the first few months of 2025 alone more than tripled all cases the region saw last year. 2024 was also the worst year on record for dengue cases. The collective impact of these diseases is striking: globally, mosquito-borne diseases kill more than 1 million people and infect up to 700 million people each year.As conventional vector control methods like insecticide-treated bed nets and indoor residual spraying increasingly face challenges from insecticide resistance and mosquito-borne diseases continue to enter new regions and communities, new and up-and-coming innovations, including in diagnostics, mosquito population modification, and vaccines, will be key to helping minimize the spread of these deadly and debilitating diseases. New diagnostics can help ensure patients start treatment earlierWhile effective tools exist to diagnose mosquito-borne diseases, next-generation tools now in the pipeline could help people receive an accurate diagnosis faster, earlier, at a lower cost, and closer to their home, as well as distinguish between different mosquito-borne infections with similar symptoms. These promising breakthroughs could improve detection and care, particularly in rural and remote areas worldwide.A research team at Institut Pasteur is developing a new rapid diagnostic that can detect the presence of the Plasmodium vivax malaria parasite shortly after the initial mosquito bite—before symptoms arise—, helping patients receive appropriate treatment more quickly. Another team has developed a diagnostic device that uses strips of paper, which could serve as a more affordable, portable diagnostic alternative for detecting malaria infection in asymptomatic people in just 30 minutes.Beyond malaria, a team of Brazilian researchers has developed a novel test that can rapidly identify exposure to all four serotypes of dengue virus, as well as the Zika virus, making it perfectly suitable for regions like Brazil that are endemic to both viruses, where the similarity between symptoms can make it hard to diagnose or assess immunity in patients. This test could also help health care providers and public health workers better pinpoint where treatment and preventive measures need to be implemented.Another new tool developed by scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases could also aid surveillance and response. It uses blood samples to identify people who have been bitten by Aedes mosquitoes, which can spread diseases like dengue, Zika, and chikungunya, to identify geographic hot spots for the mosquitoes and monitor exposure in people, helping improve targeted public health interventions. New and innovative tests like these can help identify and minimize the spread of mosquito-borne diseases by connecting people to treatment earlier, as well as informing public health efforts to implement larger-scale vector control measures. Modifying mosquitoes can make it harder for insects to spread diseaseAnother approach to curb mosquito-borne diseases is to directly control the mosquito population by targeting the insect’s ability to transmit viruses or parasites to people through genetic modification or other means. One method establishes a bacterium called Wolbachia, which is commonly found in insects, in an Aedes aegypti mosquito population, blocking viruses like dengue, chikungunya, and Zika from growing inside the insects' bodies. This approach has helped protect more than 13.3 million people as of December 2024. Another research team has found a way to genetically engineer Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes by inserting a gene, which naturally occurs in some mosquitoes, that makes them poor hosts for malaria parasites.Scientists are also exploring approaches that involve inhibiting the reproduction of mosquitoes to reduce population size, and thus, the spread of disease. A Spanish research team is releasing thousands of sterilized tiger mosquitoes, one of the species whose females transmit dengue, to reduce the spread of dengue and other vector-borne diseases. Similar sterilization techniques have been previously used to address other disease vectors, but the Spanish lab is pioneering its use on the tiger mosquito.In an altogether different and novel approach, scientists in the Netherlands are looking into a way to modify mosquitoes so their bite can deliver a vaccine for malaria to humans, with continuous exposure through multiple bites prolonging immunity levels.While some of these methods of targeting mosquito populations have proven effective already and new methods could offer even more precise mechanisms for vector control, the long-term implications on the ecosystem warrant further consideration, so science must move forward cautiously. New vaccines could be game changers, but research has stalled for some diseasesExperts believe that vaccines are essential for drastically reducing the incidence of mosquito-borne diseases, and when used in combination with other prevention methods, could help turn the tide against this growing threat. The world’s first malaria vaccine was approved in 2021, closely followed by a second vaccine in 2023, both of which have already had a huge impact, with 24 million doses delivered across 20 countries. Ongoing research aims to resolve some of the limitations of these first-generation vaccines. One innovative malaria vaccine candidate that is undergoing a clinical trial uses genetically engineered parasites that cannot cause disease but are potent enough to trigger a strong immune response. Preclinical data found that the vaccine could potentially offer higher efficacy at lower doses than current vaccines.The first vaccine for dengue, which could only be used among people who had previous infections, was approved in 2019, but its production is being phased out due to limited use. It was trailed by additional vaccines, including the Qdenga vaccine, which targets all four types of the dengue virus and is safe for use in individuals with and without prior infection. However, it does not provide equal protection against all dengue subtypes and has not been studied enough in people over 16 years old. Researchers in Brazil have developed a single-dose vaccine targeting all dengue subtypes that demonstrated high efficacy in people across ages in recent Phase 3 trials. Its single dose would hopefully also make it easier to administer and scale up production.While these vaccines hold tremendous promise, there are still gaps in the pipeline and a lack of availability of vaccines for certain mosquito-borne diseases. There are no human vaccines for West Nile virus, even though safe and highly effective West Nile vaccines for horses have been around for decades, with research and development efforts in the United States hindered by the sporadic and unpredictable nature of outbreaks. Zika vaccine research has also stalled since the 2015-2016 outbreak, attention dwindling along with cases as people forget the frightening and unexpected nature of the last rise in cases.With trends like climate change, globalization, and migration showing no signs of slowing down, the world’s deadliest animal and the diseases it carries are only going to become a bigger risk to human health. We’ve made tremendous progress against these diseases, but further innovations will better prepare us to take on a buggier future.

Interested in more global health innovation news? Every week GHTC scours media reports worldwide to deliver essential global health R&D news and content to your inbox. Sign up now to receive our weekly R&D News Roundup email. A new study from a team at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine found that the drug nitisinone works as a potent contact insecticide for killing the mosquito species that spread malaria, dengue, Zika, and other emerging mosquito-borne viral threats, offering hope of a new approach to combating insecticide resistance. Nitisinone, which is currently used to treat a rare genetic condition in humans, kills mosquitoes by blocking an enzyme that is necessary for them to process human blood, which is not a pathway targeted by any currently used insecticides. The research suggests that the drug could be formulated for use in indoor residual spraying or insecticide-treated bed nets, helping eliminate mosquitoes even in settings where rising insecticide resistance has undermined the effectiveness of current vector control methods.Early last week, the Gates Foundation announced a $2.5 billion commitment through 2030 to accelerate research and development on women’s health. Specifically, the funding will help advance more than 40 innovations in five critical areas: obstetric care and maternal immunization, maternal health and nutrition, gynecological and menstrual health, contraceptive innovation, and sexually transmitted infections. These areas were selected based on extensive data about where innovation can save and improve the most lives and where there are persistently high rates of misdiagnosis, as well as direct insights from women in low- and middle-income countries about their needs, preferences, and challenges.Last week, IAVI; the Mutala Trust; ReiThera; and the Ragon Institute of Mass General Brigham, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard University announced that the first doses of an investigational HIV vaccine candidate were administered in their Phase 1, first-in-human clinical trial. The clinical trial is taking place at three sites in Zimbabwe and South Africa among 120 healthy adults, including people living with HIV. Carrying out the trial in sub-Saharan Africa, which faces the highest disease burden, will help ensure the vaccine is effective and relevant in the communities where it is most needed. The vaccine candidate is designed to stimulate the immune system, particularly CD8+ T cells, to recognize and target critical structural regions of the virus. Scientists believe CD8+ T cells could potentially target HIV-infected cells, so the trial will also assess whether the vaccine candidate could be part of future therapeutic or cure technologies.

Interested in more global health innovation news? Every week GHTC scours media reports worldwide to deliver essential global health R&D news and content to your inbox. Sign up now to receive our weekly R&D News Roundup email. Scientists have launched the first-ever library of adjuvants, which are substances that boost the ability of vaccines to create stronger, longer-lasting immunity. The repository, which will be housed at the United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and funded and led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, will include 25 adjuvants available for use in developing new vaccines against epidemic and pandemic threats. The library will act as a matchmaking service, helping developers select the best suited adjuvants to increase the effectiveness and potency of their vaccines. The project is intended to support the 100 Days Mission, an ambitious global effort to develop vaccines against newly emerging threats in as few as 100 days.A new study has found that delivering a single gene therapy injection at birth could offer years-long protection against HIV. In the study, non-human primates who received the therapy within their first month of life saw protection for at least three years without the need for a booster—a potential signal that protection could last into adolescence in humans—, while those treated at 8-12 weeks saw a less effective immune response. The immune system is naturally more tolerant within a person’s first weeks of life, so it marks an optimal window for gene treatment that could be rejected at an older age. While questions remain as to whether these findings will translate to human infants and children, if successful, this treatment could offer a “one-and-done” multiyear solution to protect again mother-to-child HIV transmission that could be more cost-effective and feasible to implement in low-resource settings worldwide.The antiparasitic drug ivermectin was found to reduce the incidence of malaria by 26 percent in a trial conducted in Kenya, a finding that demonstrates its potential use for mass drug administration alongside other malaria control interventions. Invermectin is a drug commonly used to treat parasitic diseases like onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis, but scientists have been exploring its potential in malaria prevention, given the rise in insecticide resistance, which has rendered other prevention tools like insecticide-treated bednets and indoor residual spraying less effective. The trial, which involved more than 20,000 participants, compared the drug, administered in a single monthly dose for three months during the rainy season, with the antiparasitic albendazole—both alongside use of existing bed nets. It is the largest study of ivermectin for malaria conducted to date.

On Thursday, Senate appropriators advanced out of committee a fiscal year (FY) 2026 spending bill for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that rejects billions in health spending cuts proposed by the Trump Administration and protects programs vital to global health innovation.The bill increases or flat-funds global health research-relevant agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), and slightly reduces funding for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) compared to FY25 enacted—an outcome that is in stark contrast to the President’s Budget Request (PBR), which proposed deep cuts across all three. Funding at this level will enable these agencies to continue to advance medical breakthroughs and operate programs that deliver better health outcomes for people around the world and fortify our defenses against disease threats.Funding highlightsThe legislation allocates $48.7 billion in funding for NIH, which is a $400 million (.8 percent) increase compared to FY25 enacted and nearly $22.2 billion (77 percent) above the PBR, and $1.015 billion for BARDA, which represents level funding from FY25 but $361 million (55 percent) more than the White House request. While the legislation unfortunately cuts funding for CDC by $72 million, or 1 percent, this allocation is $4.8 billion or 112 percent greater than the President’s request.While advocates expected the Senate to reject the steep cuts proposed by the Trump Administration, many still anticipated significant reductions. It is therefore both welcome and surprising that Senate appropriators advanced a spending package that maintains strong funding for many programs the President aimed to slash or eliminate.Beyond topline funding for agencies, the bill and accompanying report also diverge from the PBR in other crucial ways. While the President proposed eliminating the CDC Global Health Center (GHC), this spending bill keeps the center intact, maintaining level funding from FY25. The bill also maintains flat funding for the NIH Fogarty International Center—which supports global health research partnerships and training—and provides a 0.5 percent increase to the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). This stands in sharp contrast to the White House’s proposal to eliminate Fogarty entirely and cut NIAID’s budget by 58 percent. Additionally, it provides level funding to the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), a new agency established under the Biden Administration to support high-risk, high-potential health research, rejecting the President’s proposal to reduce its funding by $555 million.Beyond  funding numbers, the bill’s accompanying report includes welcome directives affirming the Senate’s support for research activities critical to global health, including across health areas like neglected tropical diseases, malaria, tuberculosis, emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and more, and underscores the importance of international health research partnerships and training programs supported by the Fogarty International Center and global health activities undertaken by CDC GHC and NCEZID.  Taken together, the funding and directives can be viewed as a strong rebuke of the president’s efforts to downsize and dismantle US global health efforts and a strong affirmation of the Senate’s support for programs that save and improve lives around the world and protect Americans from disease threats. The report also dictates stricter reporting requirements to Congress for HHS, indicating bipartisan concern by lawmakers as to whether the agency is dispersing funding as directed and making scientifically-drive decisions.The report also conveys Senate appropriators’ desire to see BARDA devote robust funding to developing countermeasures against emerging infectious diseases, AMR, and pandemic influenza, and directs BARDA to spend no less than $10 million on advancing countermeasures against “Disease X,” which is a term to denote priority viral pathogens that could cause the next pandemic. Despite an overall positive picture, the bill does include some decreases to subaccounts relevant to global health, including an 80 percent cut to  the CDC-wide Infectious Disease Rapid Response Fund, which was a fund originally created to provide flexible funds for the agency to rapidly respond to pandemic and epidemic threats. See the chart below for a more detailed comparison of funding in the Senate bill and percent changes compared to FY25 enacted and the PBR.What comes nextThe bill’s passage out of committee is just an initial step in a lengthy political process. It will next go to the full Senate for a vote, the House of Representatives will need to advance its parallel bill, and then the two bills will need to be conferenced to work out their differences before going back to both chambers for a vote and then to the President for signature.It is anticipated that the House will propose lower spending levels for health programs than the Senate, so these numbers are a likely high watermark where negotiations begin between the two chambers. Nonetheless, if one reads the House’s spending bill on global health as a tea leaf of what’s to come, it’s unlikely the House will cut as deep as the President wishes , so if the two chambers can reach a compromise and pass a budget, we could see funding levels land somewhere below the Senate but still substantially above the PBR. In the House bill, we are likely to see stronger relative numbers for NIH over CDC, given heightened criticism for the latter agency among Republican lawmakers.For many advocates, this bill is welcome news that Congress is reasserting its power of the purse in opposition to the president, yet significant concerns remain. Will the two chambers actually reach a promising compromise? And even if Congress appropriates strong funding for FY26, given all the recent moves by the Administration to rescind, halt, or slow the disbursement of federal spending, will this money actually reach researchers and health implementers to deliver impact? While we can’t predict for certain, GHTC and other advocates will continue to keep a close watch on what’s to come and activate where we can in order to protect vital funding for global health and medical research.