Skin and Arthropod Vectors

Recent research on skin immunity and the skin microbiome reveals the complexity of the skin and its importance in the development of immunity against arthropod-borne diseases. In diseases such as malaria, borreliosis, leishmaniasis, trypanosomiasis, etc., the skin interface has been shown as an essential site for pathogens to hide from the immune system, and as a potential site of persistence. Only very few vaccines have been successfully developed so far against these diseases, likely because of an insufficient understanding on the development of skin immunity against pathogens. Skin and Arthropod Vectors expands our knowledge on the role of the skin interface during the transmission of arthropod-borne diseases and particularly its immunity. This work may support researchers who strive for developing more efficient diagnostic tools and vaccines. It also gives scientists and advanced students working in related areas a better insight on how humans and animals are attractive to arthropods to develop better repellents, or to set up transgenic arthropods.